NORTHERN IRELAND

Departmental Billing

Eilidh Whiteford: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what proportion of invoices from suppliers his Department paid within 10 days of receipt in July and August 2010.

Owen Paterson: The Department figures for payment of supplier invoices in July and August 2010 were 96% and 97% respectively. This information is available to the public and is published on our web site at the following link:
	http://www.nio.gov.uk/index/nio-publication/nio-pubs-search-results.htm?category=&keyword=prompt+payment&order=date& submitbutton.x=15&submitbutton.y=5
	The target for payment of supplier invoices has now changed to five working days effective from May 2010. The Department currently reports its performance against this target.

Departmental Consultants

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what procedures his Department uses when engaging external consultants.

Owen Paterson: When engaging external consultants, my Department follows the guidance and procedures set out by the Central Procurement Directorate of the Department of Finance and Personnel and/or the Cabinet Office's Government Procurement Service, as appropriate.

Departmental Fines

Eilidh Whiteford: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many transport-related fines his Department and its predecessors has settled on behalf of its staff; and at what cost in each year since 2007.

Owen Paterson: Comparable figures for the Department as it is now configured are not available before 12 April 2010 following the completion of devolution of policing and justice functions. However, since April 2010, there have been no transport-related fines settled for any staff in my Department.

Departmental Public Expenditure

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much his Department spent on new furnishings in the last year.

Owen Paterson: My Department spent a total of £1,095 on new furnishings in the last financial year, 2010-11.

Departmental Training

Eilidh Whiteford: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many external training courses staff of his Department attended in the last 12 months; and what the cost to the public purse was of each course.

Owen Paterson: During the 2010-11 financial year, my Department spent a total of £38,000 on training and development—the vast majority of this was provided internally by the National School of Government in Great Britain, or the Centre for Applied Learning in Northern Ireland. It is not possible to provide a further breakdown of these costs without incurring disproportionate cost.

TRANSPORT

Air Travel Organisers’ Licensing Reform

Tom Greatrex: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects changes to the Air Travel Organisers’ Licensing scheme to be implemented.

Theresa Villiers: The recent consultation on reform of Air Travel Organisers' Licensing (ATOL) scheme proposed that the new secondary legislation needed to implement the reforms should come into effect on 1 January 2012.
	A number of consultation responses and other representations raised concerns about the relatively short time this would allow to prepare for the introduction of the ATOL certificate and other reforms. I am currently considering all the consultation responses and plan to make an announcement on the way forward with the reforms later in the autumn.

Air Travel Organisers’ Licensing Reform

Tom Greatrex: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the likely costs to travel businesses of implementing his proposals for changes to the Air Travel Organisers’ Licensing scheme.

Theresa Villiers: The impact assessment, published alongside the ATOL Reform Consultation document, estimated that the cost to travel businesses of implementing the proposed reforms would be between £5.5 million and £11.5 million per year.

Departmental Billing

Eilidh Whiteford: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what proportion of invoices from suppliers his Department paid within 10 days of receipt in July and August 2010.

Norman Baker: The target to pay 90% of invoices within 10 days has been replaced by a target to pay 80% of invoices within five days, and the reply is set out on this basis.
	The percentage of invoices paid within five days of receipt for the Department and its agencies for July and August is as follows:
	
		
			 Percentage 
			  July 2010 August 2010 
			 Central Department 96 95 
			 Driving Standards 96 96 
			 Driver and Vehicle Licensing 91 89 
			 Highways 68 86 
			 Maritime and Coastguard 95 97 
			 Vehicle Certification 93 96 
			 Vehicle and Operator Services 85 84 
			 Government Car and Despatch 85 89 
			 Total 84 91 
		
	
	The departmental commercial terms generally specify that payment will be made within 30 days of receipt of a valid invoice. The percentage of invoices paid within 30 days of receipt for the Department and its agencies for July and August is as follows:
	
		
			 Percentage 
			  July 2010 August 2010 
			 Central Department 100 99 
			 Driving Standards 100 100 
			 Driver and Vehicle Licensing 100 100 
			 Highways 99 99 
			 Maritime and Coastguard 100 100 
			 Vehicle Certification 99 100 
			 Vehicle and Operator Services 100 100 
			 Government Car and Despatch 99 100 
			 Total 100 100 
		
	
	I would also refer the hon. Member to my answer of 16 September 2010, Official Report, columns 1229-31W, where this information was previously provided to the hon. Member for Dundee East (Stewart Hosie).
	The percentage of invoices paid within five days and 30 days of receipt for the Department and its seven agencies for the same months of 2011 is published on the Department's website at the following address:
	http://assets.dft.gov.uk/publications/prompt-payment-statistics/statistics.pdf

Departmental Official Hospitality

Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what official (a) lunches, (b) dinners and (c) receptions he has hosted in each of the last 12 months; and what the (i) location, (ii) total cost to the public purse and (iii) purpose was of each such event.

Norman Baker: The then Secretary of State for Transport, the right hon. Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond), has hosted two official dinners in the last 12 months:
	March 2011—An official dinner at Lancaster House, at a cost of £993.42 to the public purse, the purpose of which was an introductory meeting with the French Minister for Ecology, Sustainable Development, Transport and Housing and her delegation to discuss cargo screening in aviation security, the approach to the implementation of the air quality directive and other issues.
	June 2011—An official dinner at Lancaster House, at a cost of £2,104.62 to the public purse, the purpose of which was an introductory meeting with the US Secretary of Transportation and his delegation to discuss High Speed Rail and the European Union's Emissions Trading Scheme.
	The then Secretary of State for Transport has not hosted any official lunches or receptions in this time period.

Departmental Repairs and Maintenance

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the maintenance backlog was in his Department's estate in each of the last five years.

Norman Baker: I regret that the information requested can be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Government Procurement Card

Chris Kelly: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many Government Procurement Card transactions were made by his Department's officials withdrawing cash from automated teller machines from 2006-07 to 2009-10; at what cost; and on which dates.

Norman Baker: Staff have not made any cash withdrawals on Government Procurement Card from automated teller machines since 2006.

London Paddington-Bristol Railway Line: Electrification

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has for the electrification of the rail line from London Paddington to Bristol; and if he will make a statement.

Theresa Villiers: The Government have confirmed their commitment to funding the electrification of the Great Western main line to Bristol which is now being delivered by Network Rail. I expect electric passenger services to commence on time in 2016.

Motor Vehicles: EU Action

Steve Brine: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the effects on independent motorcycle repairers of the proposed EU Regulation on the type approval and market surveillance of 2- and 3-wheeled vehicles and quadricycles.

Michael Penning: The repair information aspect of the Commission's proposal will ensure maintenance information is more readily accessible to independent repairers. This will enable them to compete more effectively with franchised repairers.
	The effective functioning of a competitive market for motorcycle repair will ensure best value for consumers.

Parking: Fines

Eilidh Whiteford: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent estimate he has made of the sums in outstanding parking fines owed to local authorities by drivers of foreign registered vehicles.

Norman Baker: None. Individual local authorities are required to keep records of all penalty charge notices issued, including those issued to drivers of foreign registered vehicles. The Department for Transport does not record this information centrally.

Railways: Felixstowe

Daniel Poulter: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has for the electrification of the railroute from Felixstowe to Nuneaton; and if he will make a statement.

Theresa Villiers: The Government support a progressive electrification of the rail network in England and Wales where this is affordable and generates value for money. Electrification should reduce the cost of running the railways, increase efficiency and reduce carbon emissions. We continue to work with Network Rail to look at the case for further electrification in the next rail control period starting in 2014.

Roads: Cyclists

Julian Huppert: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to ensure adequate maintenance and improvement of cycleways and footways in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough.

Norman Baker: The maintenance and improvement of cycleways and footways in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough is a matter for Cambridgeshire county council and Peterborough city council respectively.

Roads: Gloucestershire

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent discussions he has had with the Highways Agency on the duration of the proposed closure of the A4019 on the approach to Junction 10 of the M5; and if he will make a statement.

Michael Penning: holding answer 13 October 2011
	The proposed closure of the overbridge which carries the A4019 over the M5 at Junction 10 is necessary in order to replace the bridge. The foundations of the structure are suffering from sulphate attack which is reducing their strength, making replacement essential.
	The current works programme is based on keeping the A4019 open for traffic for the busy period during the Cheltenham Festival. The current estimated duration of works, allowing for demolition of the existing bridge and foundations and construction of a new two span bridge is 47 weeks. However, the Highways Agency will be inviting tenders for this work which will encourage contractors to reduce this duration as much as possible.
	I have discussed this project with the Highways Agency. I understand that they have been discussing it with the officers of Gloucestershire county council, the local highway authority, for two years. These discussions are ongoing and will continue to ensure that diversion routes and signage for the works are appropriate.

Rolling Stock

Damian Hinds: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether limits on the volume of train horns apply to train operating companies.

Theresa Villiers: Limits on the volume of train horns do apply to train operating companies. These are defined by European Technical Standards for Interoperability (TSI) and UK Rail Group Standards.

Siemens

Chris Williamson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether any Siemens (a) employees and (b) consultants (i) hold and (ii) have held security passes allowing access to his Department in the last five years.

Norman Baker: holding answer 11 October 2011
	I regret that the information requested can be established only at disproportionate cost. I can however confirm that no employee or consultant of Siemens working on the Thameslink project has been issued with a permanent security pass. Siemens employees and their consultants have been issued with visitor passes when they have visited DFT premises, at which time they have been escorted by DFT staff.

Transport: Ashfield

Gloria De Piero: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment his Department has made of the effects of the outcome of the comprehensive spending review on local transport services in (a) Ashfield constituency, (b) Nottinghamshire and (c) England.

Norman Baker: holding answer 12 October 2011
	We have radically simplified the Department for Transport's (DFT's) funding to local authorities from 26 grant streams to just four. This change has provided local authorities with greater participation and financial autonomy. The Department, therefore, has not made assessments of local impacts.
	The DFT's block capital allocations to Nottinghamshire have been published and can be found at:
	http://www.dft.gov.uk/publications/local-transport-capital-block-funding/
	Nottinghamshire is already benefitting from the £9 million centrally-funded Mansfield Public Transport Interchange. The Department is also currently assessing the bid for full approval for phase two of the Nottingham Express Transit. The requested DFT contribution is £433.5 million over the lifetime of the project. The DFT is also currently assessing bids for the Nottingham Ring Road and Hucknall Town Centre schemes as part of the Development pool competition. The requested DFT contributions are £12.8 million and £8.5 million respectively.
	As well as funding to local authorities, the Department supports local bus services through the Bus Service Operators Grant (BSOG). On a national level, the Department has carried out an equalities impact assessment. I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave the hon. Member for Denton and Reddish (Andrew Gwynne) on 2 November 2010, Official Report, column 702W.

SCOTLAND

Air Passenger Duty

Ann McKechin: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what discussions he has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on the devolution of air passenger duty in Scotland following the announcement regarding air passenger duty for long-haul flights from Northern Ireland.

David Mundell: The Secretary of State for Scotland, the right hon. Member for Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk (Michael Moore), has regular meetings with the Chancellor of the Exchequer, my right hon. Friend the Member for Tatton (Mr Osborne), to discuss a range of issues, including all financial issues related to the Scotland Bill.

Child care

Margaret Curran: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland on what date he last met the First Minister to discuss future provision of child care support in Scotland.

Michael Moore: I am in contact with the First Minister on a range of matters. My officials are engaged with officials from the Scottish Government on aspects of the Government's welfare reform agenda which affect Scotland.

Departmental Billing

Eilidh Whiteford: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what proportion of invoices from suppliers his Department paid within 10 days of receipt in July and August 2010.

David Mundell: The Scotland Office paid 100% of invoices within 10 days of receipt in July and August 2010.

Departmental Buildings

Eilidh Whiteford: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what (a) building and (b) refurbishment projects his Department plans in (i) the current and (ii) the next financial year; and what the cost will be of each such project.

David Mundell: The Scotland Office has no building projects or refurbishment projects currently planned in the present financial year or in the next financial year.

Departmental Consultants

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what procedures his Department uses when engaging external consultants.

David Mundell: The Scotland Office does not generally undertake direct procurement or tendering projects. It utilises framework contracts between suppliers and other Government bodies. All expenditure is incurred in accordance with the principles of Managing Public Money.

Departmental Fines

Eilidh Whiteford: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many transport-related fines his Department has settled on behalf of its staff; and at what cost in each year since 2007.

David Mundell: The Scotland Office maintains the policy that road traffic violations are the responsibility of the individual and are not reimbursed from public funds. As such, there has been no expenditure on transport-related fines since 2007.

Departmental Manpower

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many (a) full- and (b) part-time employees his Department employed in each year since 1997.

David Mundell: The Scotland Office was established on 1 July 1999. Information on staff numbers is routinely published in the Office's Annual Report, copies of which are in the House Library. A breakdown of part-time staff is not provided as identification of individuals may be possible in view of the numbers involved.

Departmental Official Hospitality

Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much his Department spent on hospitality for events hosted by each Minister in his Department in each of the last 12 months.

David Mundell: Scotland Office expenditure on hospitality for events hosted by each Scotland Office Minister in each of the last 12 months is as shown in the following table:
	
		
			 £ 
			  Secretary of State for Scotland Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Scotland Advocate  -  General for Scotland 
			 2010    
			 October 626.73 0.00 0.00 
			 November 1,396.42 0.00 0.00 
			 December 3,259.11 0.00 0.00 
			     
			 2011    
			 January 855.00 0.00 0.00 
			 February 1,246.77 0.00 0.00 
			 March 463.35 0.00 0.00 
			 April 0.00 0.00 0.00 
			 May 0.00 120.00 0.00 
			 June 5,291.27 0.00 0.00 
			 July 0.00 0.00 68.67 
			 August 6,221.25 0.00 0.00 
			 September 10.44 300.00 0.00 
			 Total 19,370.34 420.00 68.67 
		
	
	All expenditure incurred was in accordance with the principles of Managing Public Money and the Treasury handbook on Regularity and Propriety.

Departmental Procurement

Stewart Hosie: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what contracts of a monetary value of (a) between £100,000 and £500,000, (b) between £500,000 and £1 million and (c) over £1 million his Department and its predecessor have entered into with private suppliers in each year since 1990.

David Mundell: The Scotland Office was established on 1 July 1999. The office generally does not undertake direct procurement or tendering projects. Rather, it utilises framework contracts between suppliers and other Government bodies. Of the small contracts held by the Scotland Office, none has a monetary value of over £100,000.

Departmental Public Expenditure

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much his Department spent on new furnishings in the last year.

David Mundell: The Scotland Office spent £2,748 on furnishings in 2010-11.

Departmental Training

Eilidh Whiteford: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many external training courses staff of his Department attended in the last 12 months; and what the cost to the public purse was of each course.

David Mundell: The Scotland Office encourages all staff to undertake learning and development activities. External training courses may be considered where opportunities are not available through central Government.
	The Office does not maintain a central record of external training courses attended. However, £ 12,672 was spent on staff training in the year 2010-11.

E-mail

Jack Dromey: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether any (a) Ministers, (b) officials and (c) special advisers in his Department use private e-mail accounts for the conduct of government business.

David Mundell: The Ministerial Code, the Code of Conduct for Special Advisers, and the Civil Service Code set out how Ministers, officials and special advisers should conduct government business.

Government Procurement Card

Chris Kelly: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many Government procurement card transactions were made by his Department’s officials withdrawing cash from automated teller machines from 2006-07 to 2009-10; at what cost; and on which dates.

David Mundell: The first Scotland Office Government procurement card transaction took place during the financial year 2007-08. Since then, no cash withdrawals have been made using Government procurement cards.

Social Fund

Margaret Curran: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland on what date he last met the First Minister to discuss the ending of the social fund.

Michael Moore: I am in contact with the First Minister on a range of matters. My officials are engaged with officials from the Scottish Government on aspects of the Government's welfare reform agenda which affect Scotland.

Third Sector

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many letters he has received on funding for civil society organisations within his Department's area of responsibility in each month since 1 June 2010; and if he will make a statement.

David Mundell: The Scotland Office has no responsibility for funding civil sector organisations.

Unemployment: Females

Ann McKechin: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he has had discussions with the Scottish Government on the rate of unemployment among female workers.

David Mundell: Scotland Office Ministers and officials have ongoing discussions with the Scottish Government about the number of people in Scotland claiming jobseeker’s allowance and trends in labour market statistics.

LEADER OF THE HOUSE

Backbench Business Committee

Chris Ruane: To ask the Leader of the House what consideration he has given to forwarding to the Backbench Business Committee for consideration for debate petitions presented to the Government with 100,000 signatures collected (a) both on the Government's e-petitions website and on paper, (b) both on the Government's e-petitions website and elsewhere online, (c) on paper only, (d) on a website other than the Government's e-petitions website only, (e) on paper and online but not on the Government's e-petitions website and (f) on paper, on the Government's e-petitions website and elsewhere online.

George Young: The Government have chosen to use their own online system for e-petitions as it allowed wide access and a simple way to show support for an issue, while also enabling the Government to quickly and easily verify the validity of signatures. Such verification is not easily manageable with paper petitions or on external websites, and so these signatures are not included as part of the 100,000 threshold.
	The Backbench Business Committee has made clear its continued willingness to accept paper petitions upon presentation to the House by a Member of Parliament.

Email

Jack Dromey: To ask the Leader of the House whether any (a) Ministers, (b) officials and (c) special advisers in his office use private e-mail accounts for the conduct of government business.

George Young: The Ministerial Code, the Code of Conduct for Special Advisers, and the Civil Service Code set out how Ministers, officials and special advisers should conduct government business.

Hillsborough Stadium

Steve Rotheram: To ask the Leader of the House what discussions he has had with the Prime Minister since his appointment on the unredacted release of the Hillsborough Cabinet minutes.

George Young: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by the Secretary of State for the Home Department, my right hon. Friend the Member for Maidenhead (Mrs May), on 14 October 2011, Official Report, column 506W.

WALES

E-mail

Jack Dromey: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales whether any (a) Ministers, (b) officials and (c) special advisers in her Department use private e-mail accounts for the conduct of Government business.

David Jones: The Ministerial Code, the Code of Conduct for Special Advisers, and the Civil Service Code set out how Ministers, officials and special advisers should conduct government business.

Government Procurement Card

Chris Kelly: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many Government procurement card transactions were made by her Department’s officials withdrawing cash from automated teller machines from 2006-07 to 2009-10; at what cost; and on which dates.

David Jones: None.

Roads: A55

Stephen Mosley: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what the cost to the public purse was of the construction of the interchange between the A55 and A5104 at Broughton (junction 36 of the A55).

David Jones: The funding of repairs and improvements for trunk roads in Wales, such as the A55 and A5104, are the responsibility of the Welsh Government.
	I understand, however, that the improvements cost the Welsh Government £3.6 million and consisted of the construction of an interchange and two roundabouts on the A5104.

Trade Union Activities

Guto Bebb: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if she will have discussions with the Welsh Government on ending the practice of civil servants in Wales working full time on trade union activities.

David Jones: The Cabinet Office is currently reviewing the practice of civil servants working full-time on trade union activities.
	We will discuss this review with the Welsh Government in due course and once the review is complete, we negotiate with the unions, including those that represent civil servants in Wales.

EDUCATION

Nursery Education

Peter Aldous: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what progress he has made on extending free nursery education to disadvantaged two-year-olds.

Sarah Teather: The Education Bill, currently being considered in another place, will enable this Government to introduce a legal entitlement to free education for disadvantaged two-year-olds. We plan to implement the new entitlement in September 2013, and will consult shortly on which children should receive free places.
	We have made available £64 million this year and £223 million next year so that local authorities can increase the capacity and quality of provision locally. Funding will rise to £380 million in 2014-15. In addition, £4 million has been distributed to 18 local authorities this year to trial approaches to expanding places.

National Curriculum: Primary Schools

John Pugh: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what recent progress he has made on the review of the primary school national curriculum; and if he will make a statement.

Nick Gibb: We have undertaken a public call for evidence, analysed the curricula of successful educational jurisdictions, and held discussions with a range of subject experts and others. We are now developing draft curriculum documents for English, mathematics, science and physical education for both primary and secondary phases. We are also considering which other subjects should be part of the national curriculum in future and at which key stages. We will consult on our proposals early next year.

University Technical Colleges

Anne-Marie Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many university technical colleges he expects to open in 2012.

Michael Gove: On 10 October 2011, Official R eport, columns 62-64, I updated the House that we now have 16 new university technical colleges approved and working towards opening. Of these, we expect up to nine may open in September 2012. Precise figures will be known shortly once the buildings they will be located in are confirmed.

Academies: Funding

Craig Whittaker: To ask the Secretary of State for Education whether academy schools will have the same access to capital and maintenance funds for buildings as community schools when local authorities assess their statement of priorities.

Nick Gibb: An important principle of our schools funding system is that academies should be funded no more or no less generously than maintained schools. This is a principle which runs through our consultations on reforming revenue and capital funding in the schools sector. We believe that academies and maintained schools should be given equal and fair access to capital funds.

Academies: Underperforming Schools

Sam Gyimah: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what progress he has made on encouraging academies to work with underperforming schools.

John Hayes: There are currently 891 schools that have converted to become academies and these academies are supporting 1,646 weaker schools. We are determined to raise standards in our underperforming schools and are actively engaging with converter academies to encourage them to become academy sponsors.

School Milk

Gloria De Piero: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what steps he is taking to increase the take-up of school milk.

Sarah Teather: The school food standards set out the food and drink which can be provided to pupils throughout the school day. The standards allow for the provision of water, fruit juice and milk, or combinations of these, including flavoured milk. However, there is no requirement for schools to provide milk; it is for individual schools or local authorities to decide whether or not to offer school milk to their pupils.

Capital Funding

Tony Lloyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how he plans to distribute capital funding for building projects to local education authorities.

Michael Gove: DFE capital funding will continue to be distributed in different ways. Funding for maintained schools is devolved to local authorities; additional funding is devolved directly to every school; and as I announced in July, further funding will be targeted at areas of rising pupil numbers.

Free Schools

Charlotte Leslie: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what assessment he has made of the level of demand for places in the first round of free schools.

Nick Gibb: The level of demand for the first 24 free schools which opened in September has been exceptionally high. Based on the information supplied by the schools, 19 of the 24 free schools were oversubscribed for their places in 2011. Early signs are that demand will be similarly high for these 24 schools next year.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Departmental Air Travel

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development which travel management companies his Department uses for the purchase of airline tickets.

Stephen O'Brien: The Department for International Development uses the Hogg Robinson Group (HRG) for the purchase of airline tickets for UK based staff and most staff based overseas.

Departmental Air Travel

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what (a) contractual obligations and (b) other processes his Department uses in respect of travel management companies to ensure the best value is achieved when purchasing airline tickets.

Stephen O'Brien: The Department for International Development (DFID) currently contracts with the Hogg Robinson Group (HRG) to manage the purchase of airline tickets. The contract is a call-down contract from the framework competed by the Government Procurement Service (GPS), (formerly known as OGC Buying Solutions). DFID’s contract with HRG requires that they search for and offer the DFID booker the best fare available at the time of booking, including offering any discounted fares negotiated between HMG and airlines.
	The DFID Travel Policy states that HRG should be used to book travel and requires travellers to book the best value for money fare. HRG provide DFID with management information to enable the Department to monitor and manage value for money and compliance to travel policy.

Departmental Consultants

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what procedures his Department uses when engaging external consultants.

Stephen O'Brien: Consultancy is mainly used by the Department for International Development (DFID) as a source of specialist technical advice to inform key areas of policy and processes to ensure aid funds are spent effectively. Consultancy is only used where it is deemed to be an operational necessity by DFID and strong controls have been put in place since 1 April 2010 to ensure effective management of all consultancy-related spend.
	All consultancy requirements are subject to a stringent business case process. The business case must be approved at a senior level, following review by DFID human resource and procurement specialists to ensure it represents the best value sourcing option.
	Following business case approval, DFID apply the EU principles of open and fair procurement. Where the value is above the EU threshold for services, competition under the EU directives is a legal requirement (unless a suitable framework arrangement is already in place). These opportunities are advertised in the Official Journal of the European Union (OJEU) and also available on the DFID portal at:
	http://www.dfid.gov.uk/Work-with-us/DFID-portal

Departmental Legal Opinion

Angela Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the average hourly rate paid was to external (a) solicitors and (b) barristers engaged by his Department in 2010-11; what guidance his Department uses in commissioning external legal advice; and if he will publish (i) the names of each external (A) solicitor and (B) barrister engaged by his Department in 2010-11 and (ii) the sums paid in each case.

Stephen O'Brien: To provide a meaningful answer to the first part of this question relating to average hourly rates would involve a disproportionate cost.
	The Department for International Development provides information on its intranet to all staff regarding the sources of legal advice available. Four primary sources of legal advice are used: The Treasury Solicitor's Department (TSOL); Foreign and Commonwealth Office legal advisers (FCO Legal); Crown Agents Legal (CA Legal) and the Office of the Solicitor to the Advocate General (OSAG). Each of four suppliers have specific areas of expertise and approval must be obtained from the relevant budget holder prior to DFID staff engaging with a supplier for the provision of legal advice.
	In 2010-11 spend with the four sources of legal advice noted above was: TSOL (£52,793.64) and CA Legal (£667,057.38).

Departmental Manpower

Stephen Barclay: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will publish an organogram showing the (a) number and (b) job titles of his Department's staff in (i) England and Wales and (ii) Scotland (A) in each team and (B) at each grade.

Stephen O'Brien: The Department for International Development has 622 UK home civil servant staff based in England and 483 UK home civil servant staff based in Scotland. I have deposited in the Library a table of figures showing the number of job titles at each grade. DFID has no staff based in Wales.

Departmental Press: Subscriptions

Mike Freer: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much his Department spent on newspapers, periodicals and trade profession magazines in 2010-11.

Andrew Mitchell: The central accounting records and financial systems of the Department for International Development do not enable analysis of spend by this category of expenditure, without incurring disproportionate cost.

Departmental Procurement

Gordon Henderson: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what estimate he has made of the cost of employing civil servants to undertake procurement for his Department in (a) 2008-09, (b) 2009-10 and (c) 2010-11; and what estimate he has made of the cost of (i) employing civil servants and (ii) engaging consultants to undertake procurement for his Department in 2011-12.

Stephen O'Brien: The costs of employing civil servants to undertake procurement in the Department for International Development's central procurement function are provided in the following table:
	
		
			 Financial year Total cost (£ million) 
			 2008-09 1.499 
			 2009-10 1.479 
			 2010-11 1.468 
		
	
	A similar trend is expected in the financial year 2011-12. However, procurement capacity is under continuous review to ensure the central procurement function has the capacity to effectively meet business requirements.

Departmental Public Expenditure

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much his Department spent on new furnishings in the last year.

Stephen O'Brien: In the period from September 2010 to August 2011 the Department for International Development (DFID) UK spent £25,900 on new furnishings. Of this figure nearly £17,000 was for office chairs.

Developing Countries: Family Planning

Jim Dobbin: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Heywood and Middleton of 6 July 2011, Official Report, column 1265W, on developing countries: family planning, whether his Department has completed its negotiations with Marie Stopes International on a Programme Partnership Arrangement; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen O'Brien: Negotiations between the Department for International Development (DFID) and Marie Stopes International (MSI) on Programme Partnership Arrangement support for the period 2011-14 have been completed. DFID is providing £4.3 million per annum to MSI subject to performance. This will include provision of advice and support directly to 3.2 million people on family planning and a further 2.6 million people will also indirectly benefit from this work. All details are available on the DFID website.
	It is a major priority for the UK to improve sexual and reproductive health rights, including access to modern family planning methods in the developing world.

Government Procurement Card

Chris Kelly: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many Government Procurement Card transactions were made by his Department's officials withdrawing cash from automated teller machines from 2006-07 to 2009-10; at what cost; and on which dates.

Stephen O'Brien: DFID's policy is not to allow any cash withdrawals by DFID staff in possession of Government Procurement Cards (GPC). All purchasing cards issued to DFID staff have the cash withdrawal facility blocked.
	There were no GPC transactions by DFID staff to withdraw cash from automated teller machines from 2006-07 to 2009-10.

Horn of Africa: Agriculture

Lindsay Roy: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what measures his Department is taking to improve the productivity and resilience of domestic agriculture in the Horn of Africa.

Andrew Mitchell: In Ethiopia, DFID's investment to the agriculture sector focuses mainly on building the capacity of Ethiopian Government agricultural implementing agencies. For example, DFID supports the Ethiopian Government's Household Asset Building Programme, which improves the capacity of microfinance institutions in providing access to credit for some of the poorest farmers in Ethiopia. To date, 2,300 households have benefitted. DFID investments in the Protection of Basic Services and the Productive Safety Net Programme are also building the capacity of the agricultural extension workers in the crop production, livestock, and natural resource management and contribute to improving the natural resource base of smallholder farmers. Over five million smallholder farmers received this support. In addition, through DFID's humanitarian programme, 26,000 households received seeds and fertilizer, and 9,000 obtained animal health care support.
	In Somalia, DFID supports the Food and Agriculture Organisation/World Bank implemented SEEDS (Sustainable Employment and Economic Development Somalia) programme, which is currently operational in Somali land and plans to expand into the severe affected areas of Puntland. SEEDS will directly lead to the creation of about 45,000 jobs, improvements in the investment climate and additional market-related investment. Due to agriculture and related trade being the mainstay of the Somali economy, almost all these jobs will be in agriculture directly or agriculture-related.

India: Overseas Aid

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent work his Department has undertaken in Orissa, India; and if he will make a statement.

Andrew Mitchell: The Department for International Development's recent work in Orissa concentrates on two priorities:
	improving poor people's health and nutrition through the state health sector reform programme; and
	supporting disadvantaged communities to obtain public services, social entitlements and combat discrimination through our civil society support programmes.
	Our health sector support has on an average prevented, 3,000 infant deaths annually since 2007 and, helped 521,000 women deliver in a health facility in 2010-11. Our civil society programmes will benefit one million socially excluded people by 2015.

India: Overseas Aid

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development whether his Department's projects and programmes in India include the promotion of sustainable management of natural resources; and if he will make a statement.

Andrew Mitchell: Between 2011 and 2015, UK development cooperation in India will focus on health and nutrition, education, water and sanitation, urban development and unlocking the potential of the private sector to promote jobs and opportunities for poor people. New plans are being developed under the International Climate Fund to support programmes that promote increased resilience of the rural poor in India to climate change, including through better natural resource management and sustainable agriculture.

India: Overseas Aid

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will assess the effects of his Department's promotion of mineral-based industries in Orissa on the agricultural economy of the state; and if he will make a statement.

Andrew Mitchell: The activities supported by DFID in Orissa do not include promotion of mineral-based industries. We are considering providing technical support to help Orissa diversify its industrial base, so that poor people will benefit from jobs and higher incomes. We have supported agricultural development in Orissa, including through the recently-concluded Western Orissa Rural Livelihoods Programme.

India: Poverty

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps his Department is taking to help strengthen the capacity of the Indian Government to develop and implement pro-poor policies; and if he will make a statement.

Andrew Mitchell: We have agreed with the Government of India a new approach to our development cooperation, focusing on the poorest states of India; in particular Bihar, Orissa and Madhya Pradesh. Our support will help these states to develop and implement pro-poor policies, and make the most effective use of resources available from the Government of India. Our support will be targeted to the poorest women and girls, to help them get quality schooling, healthcare, nutrition and jobs. We will also help unlock the potential of the private sector to deliver jobs, products, infrastructure and basic services.

Nigeria: Corruption

Meg Hillier: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps his Department is taking to support anti-corruption programmes in Nigeria.

Andrew Mitchell: Through a programme that started in November 2010, the UK is helping to improve the effectiveness of Nigerian anti-corruption agencies, particularly the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). The programme will also support civil society to fight corruption. More broadly we are helping to improve public financial management at Federal level and in five DFID focal states.

Nigeria: Education

Meg Hillier: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what progress his Department has made in improving education provision in Nigeria through its programmes in that country.

Andrew Mitchell: Since 2006 the UK has succeeded in increasing enrolment in six states by 35% and in getting 423,000 more girls into school in northern Nigeria where traditionally girls have not been encouraged to go to school. Through two programmes, over 4,000 head teachers have been trained in effective school management, 4,000 school-based management committees have been trained to monitor their schools and hold schools and teachers more to account, 500 inspectors have been trained and 3,000 scholarships awarded to poor women from rural areas to attend teacher training to return as teachers in their communities.
	While encouraged by this progress, the UK is not complacent in the face of the extreme education challenges in Nigeria. The UK is therefore scaling up its effort to ensure more children, particularly girls, get access to education of ever-improving quality. The UK is therefore developing plans to help a further 800,000 children, of which 600,000 will be girls, into school by 2015 and to providing 5,000 further scholarships for women teachers.

Nigeria: Overseas Aid

Meg Hillier: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what plans he has to use development assistance to encourage growth and investment in Nigeria.

Andrew Mitchell: The Bilateral Aid Review identified the importance of doing more to encourage growth and investment in Nigeria. The Prime Minister and I focused on improving trade and investment opportunities between Nigeria and the UK during our joint visit to the country in July this year. I also pushed forward this agenda on my visit in June.
	Over the next four years British development assistance will be used to reduce the constraints on doing business and improve opportunities for investment. Examples include supporting reforms in the power sector, improving roads and other transport facilities, and supporting better access to financial services. British aid will help create investment opportunities in sectors which have the potential to create more jobs, such as agriculture, construction, and trade.
	The Department continues to work closely with other international financial agencies such as the World Bank, and other parts of Her Majesty's Government to encourage investment in Nigeria.

Papua: Health

Jeremy Lefroy: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development 
	(1)  what steps he is taking to help (a) reduce malnourishment, (b) increase health standards and (c) reduce the prevalence of HIV/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis in West Papua;
	(2)  what discussions he has had with the Government of Indonesia on investment in health and education in West Papua; and what recent discussions he has had on the allocation of international humanitarian and development aid to support the people of West Papua.

Stephen O'Brien: Indonesia is one of the world’s fastest growing emerging economies. In April 2011, the Department for International Development (DFID) agreed with the Government of Indonesia to focus future UK aid for Indonesia on issues related to climate change. The UK bilateral aid programme to Indonesia is planned to end in 2015.
	DFID’s climate change programme in Indonesia will have a particular focus on Papua, helping to reduce deforestation and promoting low carbon jobs and growth. We believe that working to reduce deforestation is the most effective way in which we can help to improve the lives of poor people in Indonesia in the long term. DFID officials meet regularly with counterparts in Papua, Jakarta and London to ensure that our programmes will deliver tangible benefits for the population of the province.

Rwanda: Human Rights

Andrew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent reports he has received on the human rights situation in Rwanda.

Stephen O'Brien: The most recent reports the Secretary of State for International Development, my right hon. Friend the Member for Sutton Coldfield (Mr Mitchell), has received on the human rights situation in Rwanda were a May 2011 Human Rights Watch report (focused on the community-based gacaca courts) and the Human Rights Watch submission to the International Development Committee, (also May 2011).
	Respect for human rights is one of the partnership commitments related to DFID budget support. DFID and FCO continue to monitor this commitment closely and raise any concerns about democracy, human rights and good governance, regularly and at the highest levels. The Secretary of State is kept up to date by British high commission and DFID office, and raised these issues directly with President Kagame during a visit to Rwanda in July.

Rwanda: Overseas Aid

Andrew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what monitoring his Department applies to the use by the Government of Rwanda of overseas aid provided by the UK.

Stephen O'Brien: All aid provided by the Department for International development (DFID) has specific targets against which progress is formally monitored annually and at the conclusion of a programme. DFID officials in-country carry out frequent and detailed discussions with the Government of Rwanda about programme delivery, risks and mitigation.
	Before any UK aid is provided to Government, an independent detailed fiduciary risk appraisal (FRA) is conducted to assess the risk of funds not being used for the purposes for which they were intended. These risks are monitored and updated at least annually.
	Furthermore, in Rwanda, a country performance assessment framework (CPAF), agreed by donors and the Government, annually monitors progress against specific targets set out in Rwanda’s Economic Development and Poverty Reduction Strategy.

Tax Havens

Jim McGovern: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what discussions he has had with the Prime Minister on increasing transparency of international tax havens.

Andrew Mitchell: Ministers discuss G20 priorities regularly and tax transparency and tax havens are important issues in this context. The Global Forum on Tax Transparency and Exchange of Information, an intergovernmental body with worldwide membership, has been the main means by which G20 objectives have been delivered in this area, for example by encouraging the signing of Tax Information Exchange Agreements and conducting peer reviews of countries' implementation of international standards. The Global Forum is due to give its latest report to G20 Heads of Government at the Cannes summit in November.

Third Sector

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many letters he has received on funding for civil society organisations within his Department's area of responsibility in each month since 1 June 2010; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen O'Brien: I regularly receive correspondence from civil society organisations inquiring about funding possibilities. I encourage people to refer to the DFID website at:
	www.dfid.gov.uk
	which provides a comprehensive summary of all of DFID's funds for civil society.
	DFID does not keep a record of how many such requests are received each month. To provide information on how many requests for funding DFID has received from civil society organisations each month since June 2010 would incur disproportionate costs.

West Bank: Education

Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what reports he has received of access to education for the Bedouin population in the West Bank.

Alan Duncan: We are aware that Palestinians in the West Bank, and especially Area C, have encountered various difficulties in accessing education, including restrictions on movement and/or inability to get planning permission for schools. These problems were highlighted in the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs report “West Bank Movement and Access Update” published in August.
	While we have not received any reports into access to education specifically for the Bedouin population, we are aware of the risk of demolition of the school building in the village of Khan al Ahmar, which is used by children from the Jahalin Bedouin community. The UK funds the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) to provide legal assistance and advice to Palestinians to help them understand and defend their housing, land and property rights. As part of this programme the NRC is providing legal representation to the village of Khan al Ahmar to prevent the demolition of the school and houses. The British embassy in Tel Aviv has also made representations to Israeli Ministers, requesting that the demolition should not proceed.

Yemen: Schools

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps his Department is taking to help ensure that schools in Yemen remain open.

Alan Duncan: We are acutely aware of the multiple problems facing Yemeni children who want to go to school. In Sana'a we know of 32 schools occupied by armed forces. The defence attaché and chargé d'affaires are actively lobbying both sides to ask them to leave and allow children to return to school. We are also monitoring the overall situation closely and remain in regular contact with UNICEF about what we can do to address this problem.

COMMUNITIES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Departmental Flags

Charlie Elphicke: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer of 13 September 2011, Official Report, column 1089W, on departmental flags, what information his Department holds on (a) the European Commission and (b) other European Union institutions imposing fines described as financial corrections on Government departments for failing to fly the flag of the European Union in front of its premises for one week every year, after Europe Day; and in any such case what the (i) date, (ii) department and (iii) amount of the fine so imposed was.

Bob Neill: My Department has always complied with the regulation and therefore has not received any financial corrections for failure to comply with Article 7(2)c of the Commission Regulation (EC) 1828/2006.
	However, English European regional development fund programmes have, in the past, received corrections for projects' failure to comply with publicity regulations.
	I refer my hon. Friend to my answer of 5 July 2011, Official Report, columns 1147-50W, for a list of these fines.
	We do not hold information on other Government Departments.

Empty Property

Jack Dromey: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government when his Department plans to publish its empty homes strategy.

Grant Shapps: We will be publishing the Government's approach to tackling empty homes later in the autumn as part of the wider housing strategy.

Empty Property: Electricity

Henry Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if he will consider requiring developers to lay telephone and electricity service ducting when building new residential and commercial properties.

Grant Shapps: The Department for Communities and Local Government has no current plans to introduce requirements for developers to lay telephone and electricity service ducting through either the Building Regulations or National Planning Policy.

Family Intervention Projects: Scotland

Ann McKechin: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government 
	(1)  how much funding will be allocated to the family intervention programme in respect of families with multiple problems living in Scotland;
	(2)  what discussions he has had with (a) the Secretary of State for Scotland, (b) the Scottish Executive and (c) Convention of Scottish Local Authorities on the implementation of the family intervention programme for families suffering from multiple problems;
	(3)  how many families with multiple problems living in Scotland he expects to be requested to participate in a family-intervention programme.

Andrew Stunell: There have been no discussions. Responsibility for dealing with families with multiple problems living in Scotland, including the allocation of any funding has been devolved to the Scottish Parliament.

Housing: Construction

Mike Weatherley: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many central government-funded loan applications were approved for self-build homes in (a) Brighton and Hove, (b) Sussex and (c) nationally in (i) 2008, (ii) 2009 and (iii) 2010.

Grant Shapps: The Government have not approved any loans or funding for self build housing anywhere in England during the period 2008-10.

Housing: Construction

Mike Weatherley: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer of 22 March 2011, Official Report, columns 913-4W, on housing: construction, what progress has been made in preparing an action plan to make it easier for people to build their own homes.

Grant Shapps: 'An Action Plan to Promote the Growth of Self Build Housing', prepared by the Government-Industry Self Build Working Group, was published on 13 July 2011. It is available at:
	www.nasba.org.uk

Localism Bill

Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government 
	(1)  pursuant to the contribution of the Minister of State of 17 May 2011, Official Report, column 274, on the Localism Bill, what definition of sovereign his Department uses;
	(2)  what the legal basis is of his proposed democratically agreed local planning plans.

Greg Clark: The Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004, section 38 (6), requires that local councils' decisions on planning applications must be made in accordance with a council's development plan, unless material considerations indicate otherwise. While the weight given to other considerations is a matter for the decision maker, the Act is clear that the primary basis for deciding planning applications is the council's local plan.
	We do not propose to alter the legal basis of councils' local plans, which is that they are prepared in accordance with the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004.
	The Localism Bill proposes to abolish regional strategies which will increase the importance and weight of councils' locals plans.

Mortgages: Government Assistance

Richard Fuller: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government 
	(1)  what assessment he has made of the (a) effectiveness and (b) adequacy to meet demand of the Mortgage Rescue Scheme;
	(2)  what plans he has to amend the (a) availability and (b) terms of the Mortgage Rescue Scheme if mortgage interest rates rise.

Grant Shapps: The Government Mortgage Rescue Scheme is designed to be an option of last resort for vulnerable homeowners who are at risk of repossession and homelessness. Over 2,600 households have completed the full process to remain in their homes since the scheme began and almost 39,000 households with mortgage difficulties have received free advice from their local authority through the scheme.
	The Government reviewed the scheme in July 2010, and again in February 2011, and made changes to improve the value for money by reducing unit costs to ensure that the scheme can help as many households as possible. The scheme will be kept under review to ensure it continues to provide value for money.
	The spending review confirmed over £220 million funding for the Mortgage Rescue Scheme from April 2011 to deliver a two year scheme to provide on-going support to households facing repossession. The scheme is delivered by local authorities in partnership with registered social landlords and the Homes and Communities Agency. It is for local authorities to prioritise those households who are most appropriate for the Mortgage Rescue Scheme.

Planning Permission: Fraud

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what sanctions may be imposed on persons who have made false statements or provided false evidence in a planning application.

Bob Neill: The planning application process relies on people acting in good faith. There is an expectation that applicants and those representing them provide decision makers with true and accurate information upon which to base their decisions. However, under section 65(6) of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990, it is an offence to issue a false ownership certificate knowingly or recklessly.
	If a local planning authority feels that an application does not accurately or fully describe the proposed development, or that it is in any way misleading, it is entitled to ask the applicant to amend it or rectify any omissions before it agrees to process the application.
	Planning applications are publicised during the determination period so that any interested parties have the opportunity to comment. If any party considers that the application includes deliberately misleading information, or lacks important information that would be material to the decision, they should report this to the relevant local authority who will decide what, action is appropriate. Planning permission can be refused on the grounds that information provided was insufficient to accurately describe the nature and anticipated impacts of the proposed development.

Regeneration: Finance

Andrew Stephenson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government when he plans to announce allocations of transition funding for locally-led regeneration.

Grant Shapps: I expect to announce the outcome shortly.

Social Security Benefits

Richard Fuller: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether he plans to bring forward proposals to means test benefit claims for people who are subject to section 117 of the Mental Health Act 1983 and living in residential care.

Paul Burstow: I have been asked to reply.
	The Department has no plans to introduce means-testing for services provided under section 117 of the Mental Health Act. After-care under section 117 is only provided for a person's mental disorder. Where a person who is entitled to after-care under section 117 lives in residential care for reasons other than their mental disorder (for example, for reasons of physical disability) their entitlement to financial support from the local authority would be calculated in the same way as everyone else's.

Vacant Land

Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what his policy is on the development on (a) greenfield and (b) green belt land.

Greg Clark: The draft National Planning Policy Framework, currently undergoing public consultation, sets out our proposals for planning policy including the protection of greenfield and green belt land. The Framework maintains robust green belt protection. To preserve the natural environment, it states that local plans should seek to allocate land for development with the least environmental or amenity value, and should plan positively for the creation, protection, enhancement and management of networks of biodiversity and green infrastructure. A copy of the Framework is in the Library of the House.
	The abolition of Regional Strategies through the Localism Bill will remove 'top down' pressure to weaken green belt protection in 30 towns and cities. Our revision to planning guidance on traveller sites, currently in draft, proposes to strengthen protection of the green belt and open countryside.

CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

Athletics

Ivan Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what progress has been made on London's bid to host the 2017 World Athletics Championships; and if he will make a statement.

Jeremy Hunt: The Minister for Sport and the Olympics, my hon. Friend the Member for Faversham and Mid Kent (Hugh Robertson), recently attended the visit of the IAAF Evaluation Team to London last week, at which he confirmed Government support for the event and the retention of a running track at the Olympic Stadium. The Evaluation Team stated they were
	“very pleased and impressed with what we have seen here in London”,
	and that it was
	“very heartening to see that the commitment of our IAAF Member Federation to hosting the 2017 World Championships is fully supported by the British Government and the City of London”.

Athletics

Ivan Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what (a) financial and (b) other support his Department has provided in support of London's bid to host the 2017 World Athletics Championships.

Jeremy Hunt: The financial support for the bid to host the 2017 World Athletics Championships has been provided by UK Sport, UK Athletics and the Greater London Authority.
	The Minister for Sport and the Olympics, my hon. Friend the Member for Faversham and Mid Kent (Hugh Robertson), recently attended the visit of the IAAF Evaluation Team to London. The Minister and officials in my Department are involved in developing the bid and will continue to support it in the build up to the decision on 11 November 2011.

Broadband

Tom Greatrex: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what discussions he has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on the allocation of funds for an urban superfast broadband pilot in the UK.

Edward Vaizey: The Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport, my right hon. Friend the Member for South West Surrey (Mr Hunt), has discussed with the Chancellor of the Exchequer, my right hon. Friend the Member for Tatton (Mr Osborne), a range of ways to help to ensure that broadband provision in UK rural and urban areas is world-class, in accordance with the Government's aim of having the best broadband network in Europe by 2015.

Broadband

Tom Greatrex: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what discussions his Department has had with HM Treasury on the allocation of the unallocated Broadband Delivery UK funds.

Edward Vaizey: The Department has regular discussions with HM Treasury on Broadband Delivery UK's funding to ensure efficient and effective delivery.

Departmental Billing

Mike Freer: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what the average cost to his Department was of processing the payment of an invoice in the latest period for which figures are available; and what proportion of invoices settled in that period his Department paid (a) electronically and (b) by cheque.

John Penrose: The average cost to this Department of processing the payment of an invoice for the period was £10.07. The proportion paid electronically (including by procurement card) was 99.16%, and by cheque, was 0.84%. These figures are based on costs and volumes from 1 April 2010 to 31 March 2011.

Departmental Buildings

Eilidh Whiteford: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what (a) building and (b) refurbishment projects his Department plans in (i) 2011-12 and (ii) 2012-13; and what the cost of each such project will be.

John Penrose: The Department has no current building or refurbishment projects planned for 2011-12 or 2012-13.

Departmental Fines

Eilidh Whiteford: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport how many transport-related fines his Department and its predecessors have settled on behalf of its staff in each year since 2007; and at what cost.

John Penrose: The Department has not settled any transport related fines on behalf of its staff in the period from 2007 onward.

Departmental Press: Subscriptions

Mike Freer: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport how much his Department spent on newspapers, periodicals and trade profession magazines in 2010-11.

John Penrose: This Department spent £25,432.06 on newspapers, periodicals and trade profession magazines in 2010-11.

Departmental Procurement

Gordon Henderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what estimate he has made of the cost of employing civil servants to undertake procurement for his Department in (a) 2008-09, (b) 2009-10 and (c) 2010-11; and what estimate he has made of the cost of (i) employing civil servants and (ii) engaging consultants to undertake procurement for his Department in 2011-12.

John Penrose: The following table shows the cost of employing civil servants to undertake procurement work in the Department, (i) in each of the last three financial years and (ii) the current financial year to date:
	
		
			  £ 
			 2008-09 156,988.75 
			 2009-10 164,577.25 
			 2010-11(1) 181,938 
			 2011-12 88,563 
			 (1 )The increase in cost for 2010-11 was due to an additional staff resource, annual pay awards and an increase in statutory contributions. 
		
	
	The Department incurred no cost engaging consultants to undertake procurement in 2011-12.

Departmental Procurement

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport how many contracts his Department has advertised on the Contracts Finder website in each month since May 2010; what the value was of such contracts; what proportion were awarded to (a) third sector organisations and (b) small businesses; and if he will make a statement.

John Penrose: This Department has advertised five contracts on the Contracts Finder website, since it launched in January 2011:
	http://www.contractsfinder.businesslink.gov.uk/
	In March 2011, £24,725 was awarded, but not to a third sector organisation or small business.
	In April 2011, a contract was awarded to a third sector organisation, but has not yet been valued as it will be based on commission.
	In May 2011, £34,680 was awarded to a small and medium enterprise (SME).
	This month, two contracts have been advertised but not yet awarded. Both are open to SMEs to apply.

Departmental Sick Leave

Mike Freer: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport for how many days on average his Department’s staff in each pay grade were absent from work as a result of ill health in 2010-11.

John Penrose: The information requested can be found in the following table.
	
		
			 Grade Average working days lost 
			 D 16.1 
			 C 8.3 
			 B 4.2 
		
	
	
		
			 A 1.8 
			 A(U) 2.1 
			 SCS 1.7 
			 Departmental average 4.8

Departmental Training

Eilidh Whiteford: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport how many external training courses staff of his Department attended in the last 12 months; and what the cost to the public purse was of each course.

John Penrose: Staff at the Department for Culture, Media and Sport attended 87 external courses in the last 12 months at a total cost of £113,211. We are unable to provide costing for each course without incurring disproportionate costs.

Film Industry: Tax Credit

Jim McGovern: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport how much his Department spent under the Film Tax Credit scheme in each year since 2008.

Edward Vaizey: The Department does not keep the relevant details as the operation of the scheme is administered by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC). HMRC does publish annual statistics on the relief given which can be found at:
	http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/films/ftr-monitoring-summary-aug2010.pdf

Film Industry: Tax Credit

Jim McGovern: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport how much his Department has allocated to the film tax credit scheme in each year from 2008 to 2013.

Edward Vaizey: DCMS does not allocate any budget to the film tax relief scheme. It is a tax relief dependent on the UK spend of film production companies.

Horse Racing

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport pursuant to the oral answer of 28 April 2011, Official Report, column 327, on race course pitch tenures, when his Department next plans to review the progress of negotiations on an agreement; and if he will make a statement.

John Penrose: My officials are in close and regular contact with the Federation of Racecourse Bookmakers Ltd (FRB) and the Racecourse Association (RCA) over the discussions on race course pitch tenures. I receive regular updates on the discussions between the two groups and, while progress is slow, it is being made. I would strongly encourage both sides to conclude the outstanding issues and reach agreements as soon as possible.

Mobile Phones

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport by what date he expects 4G mobile services to be deployed in (a) the UK and (b) other EU countries; and what assessment he has made of the potential effects on economic growth of the timing of such deployment.

Edward Vaizey: We expect the deployment of 4G mobile services to begin in 2013 in the UK. Across the rest of the EU, four countries (Finland, Norway, Sweden and Germany) have started deployments of commercial 4G networks. A number of others have completed national spectrum licensing processes but have not yet started to deploy networks and others, including the UK, are intending to undertake licensing exercises during 2012.
	We have not made any assessment of the effects of deployment timing on economic growth.

Olympic Games 2012

Ivan Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what meetings he has had in the last 12 months on the convergence and regeneration legacy of the London 2012 Olympics.

Jeremy Hunt: I have met with the Mayor and representatives of the Olympic Park Legacy Company to discuss the future of the Park, including the legacy. The Mayor takes leadership of the East London Legacy Board, which draws together Government Departments, principally the Department for Communities and Local Government, local authorities and other key agencies involved in east London renewal, to explore more efficient and smarter ways to deliver improved services, and develop new strategic approaches to poor health and fitness. I am aware of the significant effort and contribution the six host boroughs of Barking and Dagenham, Greenwich, Hackney, Newham, Tower Hamlets and Waltham Forest are making themselves, and the arrangements they have made in establishing a Host Borough Unit to work together to make the most of the significant investment in the Park.

Olympic Games 2012

Ivan Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what assessment he has made of his Department's contribution to achieving convergence in the London boroughs of Barking and Dagenham, Greenwich, Hackney, Newham, Tower Hamlets and Waltham Forest; and if he will make a statement.

Jeremy Hunt: Convergence is an aim which reflects long-term shared ambitions across all levels of Government to secure regeneration of the area that improves conditions for local people. A wide range of regeneration initiatives have been targeted historically on east London, of which the Olympics is the latest and perhaps most striking example. It is too early in what is a very long term process to assess our contribution but I am confident that we are focusing on areas where we can add most value.

Olympic Games 2012

Ivan Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what funding his Department has allocated to achieve (a) Olympic legacy goals overall and (b) the regeneration legacy in the host boroughs in the next three years.

Jeremy Hunt: As set out in the Department's Legacy Plan, published in December 2010, the Government are committed to securing a lasting legacy from the Games which include ensuring that the Olympic Park can be developed as one of the principal drivers of regeneration in East London. The main departmental priorities and areas of spending are set out as follows, which are part of a wider commitment by Government to make the most of the Games.
	We will be delivering a sporting legacy for young people, and bringing back a culture of competitive sport in schools. Sport England is investing up to £35.5 million of lottery funding from now until March 2015 in the School Games which is a key part of the Government's plans for a lasting sporting legacy. In addition, DCMS Exchequer funding of £2 million will be provided in 2011-12. We have also allocated £135 million of lottery funding towards Places, People, Play—the London 2012 mass participation legacy programme.
	We are also committed to ensuring that we deliver a lasting tourism legacy. The Prime Minister recently announced the launch of the GREAT campaign, which is designed to promote the UK abroad, and aims to deliver long-term economic benefits from the unprecedented level of interest generated by the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. The campaign aims to generate at least £1 billion in Olympic business boost and attract 4 million extra visitors. In addition, over the next four years VisitBritain will be running the "You're Invited" programme, which will capitalise on the international interest in the recent Royal Wedding, as well as next year's Diamond Jubilee and Olympic and Paralympic Games, and showcase Britain to the world. The programme is backed by a £100 million marketing fund, funded by the public and private sector.
	Olympic venues and investment in training facilities will support local communities after the Games. We are preserving Whole Sport Plans and holding sports to account on meeting challenging participation targets.
	75p of every pound the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) is spending on the venues and infrastructure construction programme for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games is an investment in long-term regeneration. Therefore a considerable physical legacy from the Games has already been largely delivered in the host boroughs. The Anticipated Final Cost (AFC) of the ODA programme, including risks, scope changes and inflation is currently £7.25 billion.
	The job of transforming Olympic Park venues and infrastructure for legacy use after the Games has been passed from the ODA to the Olympic Park Legacy Company (OPLC).
	With regard to the Cultural Olympiad, we have contributed £661,000 to part-fund a network of Creative Programmers in the English Regions, and £3.06 million to help ensure the success of the London 2012 Festival—the finale of the Cultural Olympiad taking place from 21 June to 9 September 2012. The funding is for a small number of additional events that will be managed by LOCOC. The details of the events are being finalised, and will be announced this autumn.

Olympic Games 2012

Simon Kirby: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what projects and events in (a) Brighton Kemptown constituency, (b) East Sussex and (c) the South East have been awarded the inspire mark.

Hugh Robertson: Over 1,700 cultural or sporting projects across the UK have been awarded the Inspire mark. In the South East 156 projects have been awarded Inspire marks to date.
	In the Brighton and East Sussex area there are six Inspire marked projects including Scanning for Gold a commission of the Universities of Brighton and Sussex Creative Campus Initiative. It will work with six university athletes, all training for London 2012, at the Clinical Imaging Sciences Centre, profiling them in action with professional photography. The result will be a photographic gallery exhibition that will be featured in arts, sports and medical venues in Sussex. Also, Gold Run a project to support learning-disabled and marginalised artists in the creation of an ambitious multi-genre performance. The performance will comprise three elements: film, music and visual art. The finished piece will be performed at Glyndebourne, the Brighton Corn Exchange and at the Chichester Festival Theatre. Other projects include 'Oh We Do like to be beside the Seaside', the Emergence of Consciousness, Creative Landscapes and a project run by the university of Brighton and Sussex.
	In the Brighton area there are also a number of projects linked to Festival 2012 and the Games. At Brighton Museum and Art Gallery, work is under way to create an innovative new World Stories gallery, opening 21 June 2012 as part of London 2012 Festival. The gallery will display Brighton Museum's collections from Africa, Asia, the Americas and the Pacific alongside contemporary art and artefacts.

Olympic Games 2012

Stephen Phillips: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what steps his Department is taking to encourage a sustainable equestrian legacy following the London 2012 Olympics and Paralympics.

Hugh Robertson: Greenwich was chosen as the venue for the Equestrian events for the London 2012 games with the support of the International Equestrian Federation and the British Equestrian Federation (BEF). Staging the events in Greenwich Park ensures a compact games, increases exposure and stimulates interest in equestrian sports with new audiences locally and across the UK. The London 2012 Organising Committee (LOCOG) staged the equestrian test event in July attended by 5,000 local people, including over 3,500 from local schools and colleges—the vast majority of whom attended an equestrian event for the first time.
	Sport England is providing £4.2 million of funding to the BEF between 2009 and 2013 to increase access to equestrian sports under its Whole Sports Plan as part of the 2012 legacy.

Olympic Games 2012: Facilities

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport whether he expects redevelopment of the Olympic stadium to be complete before the commencement of the first lease in 2014.

Hugh Robertson: We anticipate the Olympic stadium will be converted ahead of the first tenants taking occupation.

Olympic Games 2012: Facilities

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what steps he is taking to ensure that demand to occupy the Olympic stadium extends beyond the first letting period.

Hugh Robertson: The Olympic Park Legacy Company (OPLC) will be commencing a process shortly to identify prospective tenants for the Olympic stadium and, as part of that process, will determine the appropriate letting periods.

Olympic Games 2012: Facilities

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what assessment he has made of the effects of the decision to retain the Olympic stadium in public ownership on the stability of the 25 year regeneration plan for the East End of London.

Hugh Robertson: Ensuring there is a sustainable, long-term legacy for the Olympic stadium remains an integral part of the plans for regenerating the park and its surroundings. Retaining the stadium in public ownership will not depart from this ambition.

Olympic Games 2012: Facilities

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport whether he expects decisions to have been made on the future (a) ownership and (b) occupation of the Olympic stadium before the London 2012 Olympics commence.

Hugh Robertson: Ownership of the Olympic stadium will remain, as now, with the Olympic Park Legacy Company (OPLC). It also remains the intention that OPLC will have completed negotiations with prospective tenants for the stadium before the commencement of the 2012 games.

Public Sector

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport 
	(1)  what steps he is taking to put in place a right to provide for public sector workers to take over the running of services; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what steps his Department has taken to encourage the development of public service mutuals in its area of responsibility; and if he will make a statement.

John Penrose: The Department fully supports the idea of a “right to provide” for public service workers and believes that mutualisation can be a powerful tool in improving the quality of services. We are working closely with the Cabinet Office on this agenda and will give detailed consideration to any employee applications to run services for which the Department is directly responsible.

Radio Frequencies

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport if he will make it his policy to take account of the dates for the release of 800 MHz and 2600 MHz spectrum in the Best in Europe scorecard developed by Broadband Delivery UK.

Edward Vaizey: The Best in Europe scorecard will take into account a range of factors, including mobile data coverage, in measuring how to get the best superfast broadband network in Europe.

Radio Frequencies

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport for what reasons community radio stations operating on an FM frequency are not able to make community radio licence applications for the north-west in 2012-13.

Edward Vaizey: Ofcom have begun a third round of community radio licensing and expect to invite applications from the north-west during the first half of 2013. However, there are some areas of the north-west where Ofcom will be unable to invite applications for FM licences due to a lack of available frequencies. Ofcom will consider at the time applications are invited whether capacity on MW might be available in some of the areas.

S4C

Mark Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what assessment he has made of the effect on S4C's independence of having BBC employees on its management team.

Edward Vaizey: The S4C-BBC partnership arrangements will ensure a strong, sustainable future for S4C and Welsh language broadcasting. S4C, the BBC and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport are currently in discussion about the details of how the partnership arrangements will work.

S4C

Mark Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport whether he intends to hold a public consultation on any future proposals to change the governance arrangements for S4C.

Edward Vaizey: The Government are committed to consulting interested parties on S4C's new governance arrangements before they are implemented.

Television: Advertising

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what recent representations he has received on the advertisement of abortion services on television channels.

Edward Vaizey: The Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport, my hon. Friend the Member for South West Surrey (Mr Hunt), has received 232 representations on the advertisement of post-conception advice services on television over the course of the last six months (since 1 April 2011).

Television: Local Broadcasting

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what steps his Department is taking to remove barriers to market entry experienced by local television producers.

Matthew Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what steps he plans to take to ensure sufficient locally-generated television content in programming in England.

Edward Vaizey: The steps the Government plan to take are set out in the two recent publications released by the Department: The new framework for local TV in the UK and the Local TV Pioneer locations document.
	The Government expect to publish their response and confirm the proposals in the near future. This will include the steps the Government propose to take to address market barriers for local TV including reservation of local spectrum, electronic programme guide prominence and a fit for purpose regulatory regime.

Third Sector

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport how many letters he has received on funding for civil society organisations within his Department's area of responsibility in each month since 1 June 2010; and if he will make a statement.

John Penrose: We have received 1,441 pieces of correspondence relating to funding since 1 June 2010. Some of these letters concern funding for civil sector organisations but also funding for areas such as community clubs, sports, arts and leisure projects and libraries. We are unable to determine the number of letters that are solely related to civil sector organisations, as we do not record the information in this way.
	A breakdown by month can be found in the following table:
	
		
			 Date Volume 
			 2010  
			 June 75 
			 July 104 
			 August 77 
			 September 96 
			 October 140 
			 November 121 
			 December 81 
			   
			 2011  
			 January 84 
			 February 60 
			 March 95 
			 April 94 
		
	
	
		
			 May 97 
			 June 83 
			 July 80 
			 August 62 
			 September11 61 
			 October 11 31

Third Sector

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport how much direct funding his Department provided to each civil society organisation it funded in (a) 2010-11 and (b) 2011-12; how much it expects to provide in (i) 2012-13, (ii) 2013-14 and (iii) 2014-15; and if he will make a statement.

John Penrose: The Department provides direct funding to its arm's length bodies through grant in aid. It also provides funding, specific grants, strategic commissioning and the procurement of services to a range of bodies. However, it does not record the status of the bodies that it makes payments to, and to identify those which class themselves as civil society organisations, could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Tourism

Eilidh Whiteford: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what recent assessment the Government have made of the effect on levels of inbound tourism of the cost of a visa to visit the UK compared to the cost of a visa to visit a country in the Schengen zone.

John Penrose: The cost of a visit visa for the UK is significantly below the cost of processing an application. These costs are associated with securing the border and the Home Office only recover just over half of those. The fee charged helps to support the investment we make to ensure visas are issued safely, securely and quickly. Very few people choose their holiday purely on the basis of the cost of a visa, but rather on whether the overall cost of the trip (including much bigger items such as travel or accommodation) represents good overall value. That’s why econometric analysis of available data undertaken by the Home Office has indicated that visa fee levels have a minimal impact on application volumes. None the less it would be wrong to ignore the issue, which is why the Government’s Tourism Policy (published in March) aims to improve productivity across the entire visitor economy and, of course, the cost and convenience of visas are part of this.
	As a result, improving the pre-entry visa experience is a key part of the Government’s new Tourism Policy. I am working closely with the Home Office and the UK Border Agency (UKBA) to look at simplifying and improving the process of arranging a visa. For example, from the end of this year, the UKBA is moving to online visa processing and has already published visa application guidance in five key foreign languages.

Tourism: Finance

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport whether (a) VisitBritain, (b) VisitEngland, (c) VisitScotland and (d) VisitWales has been allocated any additional budget for front-line marketing to develop the tourism potential of (i) the London 2012 Olympics and (ii) the 2014 Glasgow Commonwealth games.

John Penrose: We are making available up to £4 million from the public sector funding package for the Olympic and Paralympic games to support a domestic tourism campaign to maximise the economic benefits from the Torch Relay and the Cultural Olympiad. This is an investment in a key objective of the Olympic programme: to ensure that the benefits from the games are felt throughout the UK. The Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport, my right hon. Friend the Member for South West Surrey (Mr Hunt), has invited the devolved nations to participate in this campaign, which has been discussed with ministerial colleagues. VisitEngland are working with the tourist boards of the devolved nations to take this forward.
	VisitBritain have already launched a four-year international marketing campaign (“You're Invited”), aimed at core and emerging markets, based on investment of almost £50 million from their funds, and matched by equivalent support from the private sector. This will cover the period of not only the Olympic and Paralympic games, but also other significant sporting events such as the Commonwealth games and Rugby League World cup too.
	We are also examining options for a complementary tourism marketing effort, supporting the Prime Minister’s “GREAT” initiative, to promote Britain abroad. Allocations for this have not been finalised yet.

DEFENCE

Armoured Fighting Vehicles

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when the preferred bidder for the Warrior Capability Sustainment Programme will be announced.

Peter Luff: An announcement concerning the main investment decision for the Warrior Capability Sustainment Programme will be made shortly.

Astute Class Submarines

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what his most recent estimate is of the (a) completion date and (b) cost to the public purse of the Valiant Jetty programme.

Peter Luff: The latest forecast completion date for the Valiant Jetty project is September 2012, which puts the in-service date out to December 2012. This is nearly four years after the contracted completion date of October 2008.
	The current contractual maximum price of the project is £134 million. However, the contractor, AMEC, is forecasting an out-turn of around £92 million over this figure. Under the terms of the contract AMEC is responsible for the first £50 million of this cost overrun. The Ministry of Defence may be liable for a proportion of any cost overrun beyond £50 million over the maximum price, but only insofar as AMEC is able to show that the additional costs in question have been reasonably and properly incurred.

Departmental Billing

Eilidh Whiteford: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what proportion of invoices from suppliers his Department paid within 10 days of receipt in July and August 2010.

Peter Luff: The percentage of UK supplier invoices paid by the Ministry of Defence (MOD) within 10 working days for July 2010 was 98.9%, and for August 2010 was 98.7%. These invoices were for UK suppliers only. Information for overseas suppliers is not held in the format requested.
	The MOD now reports percentage of invoices paid within five working days. The requirement for the Department to report percentage of invoices paid within 10 working days was changed in May 2010. The percentage of UK supplier invoices paid within five working days for July 2010 was 95.7% and for August was 96.8%.
	The monthly MOD prompt payment statistics can be found on the following website:
	http://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/AboutDefence/What WeDo/FinanceandProcurement/FMSSC/MinistryOfDefence PaymentPerformance.htm

European Fighter Aircraft

Graham Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  what discussions (a) he and (b) his officials have had with their counterparts in (i) HM Treasury and (ii) the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills on a slow-down in orders for tranche 3A of the Eurofighter; and when such discussions took place;
	(2)  what discussions (a) he and (b) his officials have had with BAe systems on a slow-down in orders for tranche 3A of the Eurofighter; and when such discussions took place;
	(3)  what discussions (a) he and (b) his have had with their counterparts from partner core nations on a slow-down in tranche 3A of the Eurofighter; and when such discussions took place;
	(4)  whether his Department has (a) undertaken and (b) evaluated any impact assessment on the potential effects on (i) levels of employment and (ii) the economy of a slow-down in orders for tranche 3A of the Eurofighter; and when any such assessment was made;
	(5)  when the meeting took place which decided to slow down production of tranche 3A of the Eurofighter; and who represented his Department at that meeting.

Peter Luff: A proposal was made in May 2010 by the Eurofighter GmbH consortium to slow down rate of production of Typhoon Tranche 3A aircraft for all four partner nations. The Typhoon partner nations agreed to this proposal in July 2011.
	The agreement on production slowdown aims to protect the industrial capacity of the Eurofighter partner companies to service export orders for Typhoon while meeting the requirements of the partner nations. The UK Government are fully committed to the Typhoon programme and potential exports, and recognises the wider benefits that these bring to the UK economy in terms of revenue and jobs for both the short and long term.
	The proposal was agreed by Ministers and by officials, both within the Ministry of Defence (MOD) and with our Typhoon international partners. Officials from the UK Trade and Investment's Defence and Security Organisation provided some input to the issue, but were not involved in this decision as it falls within the MOD's delegated authority. HM Treasury was also not involved in this decision for the same reason. The Eurofighter partner companies, which include BAE Systems, were instrumental in negotiating acceptable arrangements with the partner nations from the outset.

Military Afloat Reach and Sustainability Programme

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  when he expects the final downselection in the Military Afloat Reach and Sustainability tanker contract to occur;
	(2)  what the total cost to the public purse is of the Military Afloat Reach and Sustainability tanker contract;
	(3)  on what date he expects the (a) first and (b) last Military Afloat Reach and Sustainability tankers to be delivered to the Royal Navy.

Peter Luff: Final bids have been requested from the bidders in the ongoing international competition for the Military Afloat Reach and Sustainability (MARS) Tanker contract. We anticipate announcing the winning bidder early next year.
	I am withholding information on the cost of the contract and the planned delivery schedule as their disclosure would prejudice commercial interests.

Military Aircraft

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the purchase cost was of the Sentinel R1; and if he will make a statement.

Peter Luff: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Defence, my noble Friend, Lord Astor of Hever, to the noble Lord, Lord Moonie in the other place, on 18 November 2010, Official Report, House of Lords, columns WA219-220.

Military Aircraft

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which aircraft have been identified as potential replacements for the Sentinel R1; and if he will make a statement.

Peter Luff: There is currently no plan to replace the Sentinel R1. The withdrawal of this capability will be mitigated by utilising a number of other platforms and assets including unmanned air systems such as Watchkeeper.

Military Aircraft

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects the Sentinel R1 to be retired from service; and if he will make a statement.

Peter Luff: As announced in the strategic defence and security review, our current plan is to withdraw the Sentinel system from service when it is no longer required to support operations in Afghanistan.

Military Aircraft

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse of (a) retaining, (b) upgrading and (c) replacing the Sentinel R1; and if he will make a statement.

Peter Luff: As announced in the strategic defence and security review, our current plan is to withdraw the Sentinel system from service when it is no longer required to support operations in Afghanistan. There are, therefore, no estimates of the cost to retain, upgrade or replace the platform.

Military Bases

Michael Crockart: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the monetary value was of contracts awarded to local firms by (a) Craigiehall, (b) Redford and (c) Dreghorn Barracks in each of the last five years.

Peter Luff: This information is not held in the format requested.

Scout Specialist Vehicle

Ben Wallace: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what obligations his Department has placed on General Dynamics to manufacture and assemble the Scout Specialist Vehicle in the UK.

Peter Luff: The Ministry of Defence has placed no contractual obligations on General Dynamics UK (GDUK) to manufacture the Scout Specialist Vehicles (Scout SV) platforms in the UK. GDUK has, however, indicated that a significant proportion of the activity may be conducted in the UK.
	In addition, the contract allows for the transfer of the assembly integration and test work on the platforms from off-shore facilities, to the Defence Support Group in the UK. A value for money decision on whether to transfer this work will be taken later in the programme, closer to production. An enabling arrangement for industrial participation has also been put in place with General Dynamics, that will see work being carried out in the UK, or assistance being provided to UK exporters to Spain (assembly of ASCOD, the base vehicle for Scout SV is currently conducted in Spain).

Victims of Crime

Chris Heaton-Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the likely effects of adopting in its present form the proposed EU Directive establishing minimum standards on the rights, support and protection of victims of crime on matters for which his Department is responsible; and whether his Department was consulted on the decision to opt in to that proposed Directive.

Gerald Howarth: The Ministry of Defence (MOD) was involved in the Government’s consideration of whether the UK should opt in to the proposed EU Victims Directive, and made an assessment of the likely effects.
	While in many respects, a number of the requirements of the directive are consistent with the MOD's existing non-statutory Service code of practice (Joint Service Publication 839), there were found to be a number of provisions where the intended effect was unclear, and where it was assessed there was potential negative impact on the Service Justice System. These included the areas of:
	Application of the directive outside the EU
	Application outside the UK but inside the EU
	Directly enforceable rights.
	These points have accordingly been reflected in the UK negotiating mandate for the directive.

PRIME MINISTER

E-mail

Jack Dromey: To ask the Prime Minister whether (a) he, (b) his officials and (c) his special advisers use private e-mail accounts for the conduct of government business.

David Cameron: The Ministerial Code, the Code of Conduct for Special Advisers and the Civil Service Code set out how Ministers, officials and special advisers should conduct government business.

Environment Protection

Luciana Berger: To ask the Prime Minister whether he plans to attend the Global Green Growth Forum in Denmark.

David Cameron: Officials from the Department of Energy and Climate Change attended the Global Green Growth Forum on 11 October.

Hillsborough Stadium

Steve Rotheram: To ask the Prime Minister 
	(1)  what discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues since his appointment on the unredacted release of the Hillsborough cabinet minutes;
	(2)  when he last discussed with the Deputy Prime Minister the release of unredacted Government files relating to the 1989 Hillsborough disaster.

David Cameron: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by the Secretary of State for the Home Department, my right hon. Friend the Member for Maidenhead (Mrs May), on 13 October 2011, Official Report, column 506W. I have regular discussions with the Deputy Prime Minister and others on a range of subjects.

Ministerial Policy Advisers: Pay

Angus Robertson: To ask the Prime Minister 
	(1)  what the pay band is of the special adviser in his Office for liaison between 10 Downing street and the Scotland Office;
	(2)  what the pay band is of the civil servant in 10 Downing street who is to manage Scottish matters at an official level;
	(3)  whether he has appointed any other special advisers or civil servants to advise or assist 10 Downing street on Scottish matters since September 2011; and at what (a) salary and (b) other set up or relocation cost.

David Cameron: An updated list of special advisers, and their pay bands, is published quarterly. Information about the pay bands of civil servants working in the Cabinet Office can be found on the Cabinet Office website:
	http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/resource-library/structure-charts-cabinet-office

Taxation

Keith Vaz: To ask the Prime Minister what discussions he has had with (a) ministerial colleagues and (b) others on the introduction of a tax to discourage people from eating fattening foods and drinks.

David Cameron: I have discussions with ministerial colleagues and others on a range of subjects.

Visits Abroad

Douglas Alexander: To ask the Prime Minister 
	(1)  which human rights cases he raised with his Russian counterpart during his recent visit to the Russian Federation;
	(2)  what discussions he had on freedom of expression online and in print during his recent visit to the Russian Federation;
	(3)  which (a) business people and (b) special advisers accompanied him on his recent visit to the Russian Federation;
	(4)  what discussions he had on cyber security during his recent visit to the Russian Federation.

David Cameron: I refer the right hon. Member to the articles on the No. 10 website about my visit to Russia:
	http://www.number10.gov.uk/news/pm-visits-russia-to-boost-trade/
	and to the answer I gave on 14 September 2011, Official Report, column 1027.
	During my visit I had a meeting with a number of Russian human rights activists. We discussed a broad range of issues including the importance of debate online and in print.
	There was no substantive discussion on the issue of cyber security during my visit. However we continue to engage with Russia on this subject in the run-up to the London Conference on Cyberspace in November, most recently through an expert level visit to Moscow in September.
	As set out in the Ministerial Code, details of my overseas travel will be published at least quarterly. I have placed in the Libraries of both Houses a list of the business delegation who accompanied me.

ENVIRONMENT FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Badgers

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what representations she has received from the scientific community on her plans to pilot the free shooting of badgers.

James Paice: We have received a large number of representations, including from members of the scientific community. DEFRA’s Chief Scientific Adviser, Professor Bob Watson, has also discussed the evidence with a group of leading scientists, who were able to agree on a number of key points. Their conclusions have been published on the DEFRA website.

Biofuels: Timber

Graham Stringer: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what proportion of wood combusted at each biomass generating plant was (a) virgin and (b) waste wood in the last year for which figures are available.

Gregory Barker: holding answer 13 October 2011
	I have been asked to reply.
	Figures are not currently available on a per plant basis. Based on returns submitted to Ofgem for the renewables obligation period April 2010 to March 2011, a total of 1,818,326 metric tonnes of wood were reported to be combusted, of which 28% comprised waste wood and 72% virgin material in biomass generating plant comprising co-firing, dedicated biomass and dedicated biomass with CHP. The following table provides a breakdown by generating type.
	
		
			 Metric tonnes 
			  Waste wood Virgin wood 
			 Co-firing 59,383 813,487 
			 Dedicated biomass 156,282 326,236 
			 Dedicated biomass plus CHP 296,816 166,122

Bovine Tuberculosis

Glyn Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the cost to her Department was of measures to combat bovine TB in cattle in each of the last 10 years.

James Paice: The following table shows the costs of combating bovine TB over the last 10 years(1).
	
		
			 Year  (2) Costs (£ million)  (3) 
			 2010-11 126.9 
			 2009-10 131.6 
			 2008-09 108.4 
			 2007-08 82 
			 2006-07 81.4 
			 2005-06 100.1 
			 2004-05 90.2 
			 2003-04 88.9 
			 2002-03 65.8 
		
	
	
		
			 2001-02 27.3 
			 (1) Data have been extracted from DEFRA's financial records system. (2) Expenditure figures from 2009-10 onwards have been calculated on a different basis to previous years as a result of the full absorption of the Animal Health and Veterinary Laboratories Agency (AHVLA) costs including Estates, IT, Travel and Subsistence, Shared Services and overheads. (3) Expenditure figures include: cattle testing, other surveillance activity, cattle compensation (England only), and Research and Development. 
		
	
	TB is a serious animal health problem. Tens of thousands of cattle are slaughtered every year. It can be devastating for affected farmers. And the cost to the taxpayer is huge—it is set to exceed £1 billion over the next 10 years in England alone. That is why this Government are committed to ensuring we have a comprehensive and balanced package of measures to tackle TB, with eradication as our ultimate long-term goal.

Carbon Emissions

Graham Stringer: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what information her Department holds on the (a) level and (b) sources of black carbon emissions in the UK.

James Paice: The Department measures black carbon concentrations in air at a number of locations across the UK and data are made publically available through the UK Air Information resource:
	http://uk-air.defra.gov.uk/
	Measurements are available for 2009 and 2010 and no clear trend has yet emerged. Annual average concentrations in 2010 ranged from 0.5 microgrames/m(3) at Harwell in Oxfordshire, a rural site, to 8.8 microgrames/m(3) at the Marylebone Road in central London, a roadside site.
	UK specific inventories for the sources of black carbon are not produced by DEFRA at present. However, analysis carried out by the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA) estimates that in 2005 the major source categories making up 93% of UK black carbon emissions were: diesel vehicles for both on and off-road use (77%); flaring of oil and gas industry wastes (6.8%); domestic solid fuel burning (6.4%); and barbeque use (2.1%). As a result of existing measures to reduce emissions of particulate matter from these sectors, IIASA estimates that UK emissions will reduce significantly between 2005 and 2020, from 29.1 kilo tonnes to 8.3 kilo tonnes.

Chemicals

Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether she has considered the merits of regulating the use of flame-retardant chemicals.

James Paice: The control and use of all chemicals in the EU, including flame retardants, is regulated by the EU REACH (registration, evaluation, authorisation and restriction of chemicals) regulation. There are many different flame retardant chemicals with varying properties, hazard profiles, uses and modes of exposure. For this reason, it is appropriate to take a risk-based approach to regulation for each chemical, and where there is evidence of particular risk, to consider controls to minimise those risks to human health and the environment.

Coastal Areas: Access

Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent discussions she has had with Natural England on the implementation of the coastal access provisions under Part 9 of the Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009 beyond the initial coastal stretches set out by Natural England in March 2011.

Richard Benyon: We will introduce the new right of coastal access on a stretch of the English coast at Weymouth in time for the start of the Olympic games. Natural England is also working on proposals to implement coastal access in a further five areas around the coast.
	We are reviewing the costs and lessons learnt from the current implementation with Natural England so we can ensure that coastal access is delivered as cost effectively as possible.

Fish Discards

Michael Connarty: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what progress she has made on reform of fisheries policy to reduce fish discards; and if she will make a statement.

Richard Benyon: Reform of the common fisheries policy must tackle discards; I therefore support the EU Commission in its ambition to eliminate discards. We need a flexible framework that enables fishermen to minimise discards in ways that suit different fisheries. I will continue to argue for change drawing on the work in the UK with the fishing industry, for example our trials of catch quotas and use of more selective fishing gear.

Food Labelling

Mary Macleod: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what discussions she has had with her EU counterparts on food labelling legislation.

James Paice: Improving food labels is a priority for the coalition. I am pleased that the EU Regulation on the Provision of Food Information to consumers was agreed on 29 September. We successfully negotiated mandatory origin labelling for fresh meat and a commitment to extend origin labelling to other foods, if practical. This is a significant step forward in the provision of better labelling for consumers.

Inland Waterways

Claire Perry: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps she is taking to ensure the future prosperity of inland waterways; and if she will make a statement.

Richard Benyon: In April 2012 and subject to parliamentary approval, we plan to move British Waterways in England and Wales to civil society. The new Canal and River Trust will be endowed with a valuable property portfolio, and supported by a long-term Government funding agreement. As a charity, it will generate new commercial and charitable income, ensuring the sustainability of the waterways into the future.

Livestock: Animal Welfare

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps her Department is taking to prevent attacks on horses and other livestock.

James Paice: There are already laws in place that make it an offence to cause unnecessary suffering to an animal. It is also an offence to allow a dog to attack livestock. If anyone has any information about such incidents they should report the matter to the police.

Mobile Spectrum: Auction

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the potential effects on rural communities of the timetable for the auction of mobile spectrum.

Richard Benyon: Ofcom has announced that it expects the 800 MHz and 2.6 GHz auction will take place in the last quarter of 2012.
	The timing is entirely a matter for Ofcom, but we share its view that this new timetable is unlikely to have a significant impact on the availability of services to consumers in rural areas, as the spectrum will not be available for its new use until 2013.

National Planning Policy Framework

Jack Dromey: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many officials in her Department worked on the draft of the national planning policy framework produced by the Department for Communities and Local Government.

Richard Benyon: One official led DEFRA's engagement with the Department for Communities and Local Government on the draft National Planning Policy Framework, consulting a wide range of colleagues as necessary.

Retailing Sustainable Local Produce

Chris White: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps she is taking to promote the use of sustainable local produce by retailers.

James Paice: This Government are determined to support British food and farming. I strongly agree that retailers and the catering industry should give people the opportunity to buy food that is from their local area. To do this we need to provide consumers with honest information on the provenance of the food they buy. This is why clearer origin labelling is a key commitment in the Government's programme.

Wildlife: Medicine

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what requirements there are on veterinary practices to provide to the customer information on the prices of widely used veterinary medicines.

James Paice: The Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons' guide to professional conduct requires veterinary surgeons and practices to inform clients of the price of veterinary medicines when requested.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Afghanistan: Females

Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he is taking to encourage the Government of Afghanistan to protect women's rights to (a) employment, (b) education, (c) freedom of movement, (d) political participation and (e) political representation.

Alistair Burt: We continue to work closely with the Afghan Government, Afghan civil society organisations, international partners and organisations to improve the status of women in Afghanistan, so they can play as full a part as possible in a future, peaceful Afghanistan.
	We provide support to the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission and the Ministry of Justice's Human Rights Support Unit. Both institutions are vital for the progress of women's rights in Afghanistan. In addition, UK aid is creating opportunities for economic growth and social well-being, for example by supporting women's technical and vocational education and training.

Afghanistan: Human Rights

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with the Government of Afghanistan on the human rights of women in Afghanistan; and if he will make a statement.

Alistair Burt: Embassy officials in Kabul continue to press the Afghan Government to implement their national and international human rights commitments, including the elimination of violence against women law and the UN convention of the elimination of all forms of discrimination against women. We have made clear that any political settlement should be inclusive and address the concerns of all Afghan citizens.
	We continue to provide support to the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission and the Ministry of Justice's Human Rights Support Unit. Both institutions are vital for the progress of women's rights in Afghanistan.

Afghanistan: Pakistan

Douglas Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs for what reason his Department did not produce a long-term soft power strategy for Afghanistan and Pakistan in May 2011 as previously planned; and when he expects such a strategy to be published.

William Hague: A long-term soft power strategy for Afghanistan and Pakistan was developed during the first half of 2011 and was finalised in August 2011. To protect the Government's ability to promote these interests overseas, we do not intend to publish this detailed strategy.

Afghanistan: Peace Negotiations

William Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations his Department has made to the Government of Afghanistan on the adoption of benchmarks on (a) school attendance by girls, (b) women's access to health care, (c) maternal mortality and infant health and (d) operation by aid workers, civil society activists and women's human rights campaigners in areas under the control of the respective parties arising from reconciliation talks with insurgent groups.

Alistair Burt: We have made clear that any political settlement should be inclusive and address the concerns of all Afghan citizens. We welcome the work of the Government of Afghanistan to take forward a political process of reconciliation and reintegration for Afghans who meet its end-state conditions of renouncing violence, breaking ties with al-Qaeda and abiding by the Afghan Constitution, including its protection for all Afghan women and men.
	We continue to follow developments on this situation closely.

Afghanistan: Peace Negotiations

William Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 
	(1)  what representations his Department has made to the Government of Afghanistan on the adoption of benchmarks in respect of the joint implementation of human rights obligations arising from reconciliation talks with insurgent groups;
	(2)  what representations his Department has made to the Government of Afghanistan on the human rights obligations of parties involved in reconciliation talks with insurgent groups.

Alistair Burt: We have made clear that any political settlement should be inclusive and address the concerns of all Afghan citizens. We welcome the work of the Government of Afghanistan to take forward a political process of reconciliation and reintegration for Afghans who meet its end-state conditions of renouncing violence, breaking ties with al-Qaeda and abiding by the Afghan Constitution, including its protection for all Afghan men and women.
	We continue to remind the Afghan Government to uphold its commitments to protect the human rights of all Afghans.

Afghanistan: Peace Negotiations

William Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs with reference to UN Security Council Resolution 1325, what representations his Department has made to the Government of Afghanistan on the involvement of women in the planning of and participation in any reconciliation talks with the Taliban and other insurgent groups.

Alistair Burt: The UK National Action Plan on United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 includes a country action plan for Afghanistan. Our activities in the plan include support to the Afghan Peace and Reintegration Programme (APRP) to build awareness of the APRP and the peace process among women; build the capacity of women involved in the peace process; and increase women's participation in the APRP. In addition, there are nine female members of the High Peace Council, who sit on all the committees.

Afghanistan: Peace Negotiations

William Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations his Department has made to the Government of Afghanistan on the involvement of civic society, including minorities, women and the business community in any reconciliation talks with the Taliban and other insurgent groups.

Alistair Burt: We have made clear that any political settlement should be inclusive and address the concerns of all Afghan citizens. We welcome the work of the Government of Afghanistan to take forward a political process of reconciliation and reintegration for Afghans who meet its end-state conditions of renouncing violence, breaking ties with al-Qaeda and abiding by the Afghan constitution, including its protection for all Afghan women and men. The High Peace Council includes representatives of all the major ethnic groups, civil society, women and former insurgents.

Arms Trade: Treaties

Douglas Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent steps he has taken towards the negotiation of an international arms trade treaty.

William Hague: The UK is fully committed to securing a robust and effective arms trade treaty (ATT). The UK delegation played an active and constructive role in the July 2011 Preparatory Committee meeting, at which further progress towards an ATT was made; including a joint P5 statement in support of the UN process. We continue to press with key states ahead of the crucial Negotiating Work Conference in July 2012; while also working closely with civil society and the UK defence industry to build widespread support for the Treaty.

British Indian Ocean Territory

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he plans to change the number of officials in his Department stationed in the British Indian Ocean Territory.

Henry Bellingham: There are no members of Foreign and Commonwealth staff stationed in the British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT). The BIOT Administration is located at the FCO in London.
	The Ministry of Defence currently has about 40 staff stationed in the BIOT, including the Commissioner's Representative.

British Indian Ocean Territory: Marine Environment

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his policy is on the designated Marine Protected Area surrounding the Chagos archipelago.

Henry Bellingham: The British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT) declared a Marine Protected Area (MPA) on 1 April 2010 to ensure the ongoing protection of the unique environment of the Territory.
	A Science Advisory group has been created to draw up a scientific framework for the MPA and to advise on research and other activity to enhance its effectiveness.
	The BIOT Administration is working closely with interested Chagossian groups and non-governmental organisations to work on specific environmental projects in BIOT.

British Indian Ocean Territory: Marine Environment

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many infringements of the designated Marine Protected Area surrounding the Chagos Archipelago have been reported to his Department since the area's inception.

Henry Bellingham: There have been 12 infringements of the Marine Protected area in the British Indian Ocean territory since 1 April 2010.

British Indian Ocean Territory: Marine Environment

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much his Department has spent on enforcement of the British Indian Ocean Territory (Chagos Islands) Marine Protected Area since the area's inception.

Henry Bellingham: In the period since the declaration of the British Indian Ocean Territory Marine Protected Area (MPA) on 1 April 2010, a total of £3,089,943.31 has been spent on enforcement of the MPA. This includes the costs of the British Indian Overseas Territories patrol vessel, which performs a range of functions in the Territory.

British Indian Ocean Territory: Marine Environment

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many of his officials have duties associated with enforcing the British Indian Ocean Territory (Chagos Islands) Marine Protected Area.

Henry Bellingham: There are a number of officials of the British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT) who have duties associated with the enforcement of the BIOT Marine Protected Area.
	The BIOT Commissioner is appointed by Her Majesty the Queen by instructions through a Secretary of State. Mr Colin Roberts (Director of the FCO's Overseas Territories Directorate (OTD)) is the current BIOT Commissioner.
	Under section 7 of the BIOT (Constitution) Order 2004, the Commissioner appoints a Commissioner's Representative, a Deputy Commissioner and a BIOT Administrator. There is in addition an Assistant Administrator.
	The current Commissioner's representative is a Royal Navy commander appointed by the Ministry of Defence as Commander British Forces at BIOT. The Deputy Commissioner and the BIOT Administrator are currently members of OTD.

British Indian Ocean Territory: Marine Environment

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he has any plans to propose the repeal of the legislation establishing the British Indian Ocean Territory (Chagos Islands) Marine Protected Area.

Henry Bellingham: There are no plans to repeal the legislation which established the Marine Protected Area in the British Indian Ocean Territory.

British Overseas Territories

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he plans to visit any British Overseas Territories in the next 12 months.

Henry Bellingham: The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague), and I have plans within the next 12 months to visit the British overseas territories. It is not usual practice to announce these visits until they are confirmed.

China: Human Rights

Douglas Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with his EU counterparts on human rights in China.

William Hague: I regularly discuss human rights in China with my EU and other international counterparts, most recently at the meeting of EU Foreign Ministers on 10 October. We have liaised closely with EU member states on our concerns about the human rights situation in China over the last nine months, resulting in a number of EU statements and démarches on specific issues and individual cases.

Columbia: Armed Conflict

William Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with his international counterparts on joint steps to identify and where appropriate seek the extradition of those suspected of crimes against humanity and crimes of sexual violence during the armed conflict in Colombia.

David Lidington: We regularly make clear that those responsible for international crimes must be held to account. We work closely with the Colombian Government and with civil society on human rights and justice reform, including addressing impunity. Our embassy in Bogota is supporting a project with the Colombian Attorney-General's office to improve the efficiency of the prosecution system to prioritise the most serious cases.
	The UK has a bilateral extradition treaty with Colombia. Any decision on whether to seek a person's extradition is a matter for the prosecuting authorities.

Croatia: EU Enlargement

Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he has established a timetable for the passage of proposed legislation to ratify Croatia's EU accession treaty.

David Lidington: Croatia's EU accession treaty is due to be signed in December 2011 with a likely target date for actual accession of 1 July 2013, provided all member states have ratified the treaty in accordance with their respective constitutional requirements. Mindful of the likely target date, we will introduce the necessary legislation to ratify the treaty as soon as practicable.

Departmental Billing

Eilidh Whiteford: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what proportion of invoices from suppliers his Department paid within 10 days of receipt in July and August 2010.

David Lidington: I refer the hon. Member to my answer of 7 September 2010, Official Report, column 466W, to the hon. Member for Dundee East (Stewart Hosie).

Departmental Billing

Mike Freer: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the average cost to his Department was of processing the payment of an invoice in the latest period for which figures are available; and what proportion of invoices settled in that period his Department paid (a) electronically and (b) by cheque.

William Hague: The average cost of processing an invoice for payment at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office's (FCO) UK Corporate Service Centre in Milton Keynes is £2.94 for the month of September 2011. The number provided is based on average salary costs, excluding overheads. The Department is unable to provide the average cost of processing invoices for payment across the whole of the FCO's global network. This information could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
	In the UK, the FCO settles all invoices electronically. Our overseas posts are able to make cheque payments. However, obtaining transactional level information from our overseas network could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Buildings

Eilidh Whiteford: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what (a) building and (b) refurbishment projects his Department plans in (i) 2011-12 and (ii) 2012-13; and what the cost of each such project will be.

David Lidington: The information is as follows:
	Projects for 2011- 12:
	Contracted projects amount to £41 million across the global network. This includes new builds, refurbishments, health and safety and security improvements.
	Maintenance projects across the global network to the amount of £l6.3 million across 158 posts. Maintenance projects are works over £3,000 and generally under £250,000. Expenditure is limited to immediate health and safety risk to personal safety or security, legal and statutory compliance, leasehold obligations and maintaining freehold asset, values.
	Refurbishment and maintenance of UK Estate at £1,096,323, includes replacement of light fittings, health and safety works to the roof at King Charles street and installation of new lifts. All scheduled work has been prioritised within available funding and constitutes essential health and safety work, or subject to lease requirements or part of the scheduled maintenance programme of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.
	Smaller projects which our overseas missions manage themselves have not been included. This information is not held centrally and to collate it would incur a disproportionate cost.
	Finalised figures for the planned works/refurbishment for the period 2012-13 are not currently available.

Departmental Consultants

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what procedures his Department uses when engaging external consultants.

David Lidington: The Government introduced spending controls and approval routes for all new proposed spend on consultancy in May 2010 and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office follows these procedures. All requests to procure external consultancy costing in excess of £20,000 must have a business case prior to engaging external consultants, and the following minimum criteria are considered when giving approval:
	The requirement is of genuine operational necessity;
	The work cannot be undertaken by existing in house resources;
	The commercial proposals represent real value for money with a demonstrable return on investment and do not exceed the prices and rates advice provided by Government Procurement Service.
	Business case requests to procure external consultancy costing in excess of £20,000 must be approved by the nominated departmental board member. Requests costing in excess of £100,000, or expected to last longer than nine months and/or involve the use of procurement consultants are also subject to additional approval by Cabinet Office and/or Government Procurement Service.

Departmental Fines

Eilidh Whiteford: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many transport-related fines his Department has settled on behalf of its staff in each year since 2007; and at what cost.

David Lidington: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) expects staff to pay any transport-related fines without recourse to public funds.
	Budgets in the FCO are devolved to individual directorates within the UK and its network of nearly 270 posts overseas. As a result, this information is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Legal Opinion

Angela Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the average hourly rate paid was to external (a) solicitors and (b) barristers engaged by his Department in 2010-11; what guidance his Department uses in commissioning external legal advice; and if he will publish (i) the names of each external (A) solicitor and (B) barrister engaged by his Department in 2010-11 and (ii) the sums paid in each case.

David Lidington: The information requested is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	Litigation matters in the UK are generally dealt with by the Treasury Solicitors Department, and there is little requirement for recourse to external solicitors. Barristers were engaged during the financial year 2010-11 for a variety of litigation matters. The majority of these barristers were appointed from the Attorney-General's Panel or were First Treasury Counsel. On the minority of occasions where the Foreign and Commonwealth Office required the services of specialist barristers not on the Panel, nominations were sought from the Attorney-General's Office. In these cases agreement of their hourly rates must be reached before a nomination is made. Guidance on the Attorney-General's Panels, including details of hourly rates, can be found at:
	http://www.tsol.gov.uk/attorney_generals_panel_of_counsel.htm
	In relation to recourse to legal advice and representation on non-contentious matters (for example contracts or property matters) during 2010-11, in cases where the Treasury Solicitors Department was not used, external solicitors were chosen through a tender process in accordance with the Legal Services Framework. Legal firms which took part in the tender process will have competed on the basis of the quality of the service offered and the price. There is also scope for further competition on price before a firm is chosen. This process ensures that Government Departments are able to obtain legal advice cost-effectively.

Departmental Official Hospitality

Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much his Department spent on hospitality for events hosted by each Minister in his Department in each of the last 12 months.

David Lidington: The total spend by Private Offices for Ministers on Government hospitality was:
	
		
			  £ 
			 2010  
			 October 1,464 
			 November 4,299 
			 December 6,936 
			   
			 2011  
			 January 3,457 
			 February 919 
			 March 913 
			 April 727 
			 May 1,120 
			 June 1,231 
			 July 2,593 
			 August 1,905 
			 September 61 
		
	
	These figures are based on services used and paid for in the months quoted. Activities funded include working meetings with Ministers in the UK, meetings with senior political and military figures from other countries, and events hosted for political and business delegations (including those in support of UK Trade and Industry). Any expenditure on official hospitality is kept under rigorous scrutiny to ensure value for money and effectiveness and is incurred in accordance with the principles of Managing Public Money and the Treasury handbook on Regularity, Propriety and Value for Money.

Departmental Procurement

Julian Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what progress his Department has made in eliminating pre-qualification questionnaires for procurements with a value of under £100,000.

David Lidington: In the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, pre-qualification questionnaires are not a mandated part of the procurement process for procurements under £100,000. Our procurement guidance incorporates the Cabinet Office requirement to eliminate pre-qualification questionnaires for procurements under this value unless it involves matters of national security.

Departmental Training

Eilidh Whiteford: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many external training courses staff of his Department attended in the last 12 months; and what the cost to the public purse was of each course.

Henry Bellingham: The information requested is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Drugs

Douglas Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with his (a) Brazilian, (b) Russian, (c) Indian and (d) Chinese counterparts on the international trade in illegal narcotics.

William Hague: The UK has ongoing dialogue with these countries on a wide range of bilateral co-operation issues, including the international trade in illegal narcotics. We are committed to cutting the harm from drugs and reducing their supply. We work closely with a wide range of countries on counter narcotics, particularly where drug trafficking from and in those countries poses a threat to the UK.

Egypt: Economic Situation

Douglas Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent assessment his Department has made of the state of Egypt’s economy.

William Hague: Political transition in Egypt has opened up the potential for long needed reform to stimulate entrepreneurship and greater prosperity. The short-term impact, however, has been a sharp decline in growth due to disrupted economic activity, a weakened investment climate and a significant decline in foreign direct investment and tourism. Egypt will need to navigate through the economic downturn, with limited room for public spending and rising borrowing costs. The immediate challenge for the Government of Egypt is to fulfil public expectations and build social cohesion while preserving macro-economic stability. Restoring fiscal health and more inclusive growth which generates new jobs will be critical over the medium term.

Egypt: Economic Situation

Douglas Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent steps he has taken to provide support to the Egyptian economy; and what such steps he has taken together with his EU counterparts.

William Hague: The UK is working through the G8 to provide short-term economic assistance. Up to $38 billion of support to countries in the region, including Egypt, is available through the Deauville Partnership. We encourage Egypt to turn to international borrowing if the situation requires it. G8 countries have committed to open their markets for trade and investment for countries in the region committed to reform.
	We encourage Egypt to respond to the EU offer of short-term assistance, and support the EU's efforts to intensify negotiations on the liberalisation of trade in services and investment. In the longer term, the EU intends to work on a Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area that firmly ties Egypt into the EU market.
	Bilaterally, as part of the Arab Partnership, we have allocated £70 million to support economic reform in the region. The UK remains the largest foreign direct investor in Egypt, and we will continue to promote trade links between the two countries.

Egypt: Elections

Kwasi Kwarteng: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he plans to take to help ensure that the outcome of the proposed November 2011 elections in Egypt is implemented in a stable and orderly manner.

Alistair Burt: The Prime Minister and the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague), have urged the Egyptian authorities to deliver an open and plural election process, and encouraged them to ensure full transparency and consultation during the transition process.
	The Government have made it clear that we stand ready to support Egypt during this challenging time to ensure that the aspirations of the Egyptian people are met. Under the UK's Arab Partnership we have allocated over £1 million to Egypt to help put in place the building blocks of democracy. This includes projects with the Egyptian as well as likeminded governments to co-ordinate practical assistance to the electoral process. The UK hosted Egyptian Interior Ministry officials during the UK local elections and referendum in May, providing technical advice on electoral management including ensuring access to polling stations and the integrity of the vote. We are also working with non-governmental partners to support inclusive political dialogue and to strengthen the capacity of nascent political parties in areas including policy-making and parliamentary procedure to help facilitate a smooth transition.
	The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs has also encouraged the Government of Egypt to consider international observation of forthcoming elections. We welcome recent indications that the Egyptian authorities will permit an international presence during parliamentary elections, and encourage them to finalise arrangements for this as soon as possible.

Egypt: Freedom of Expression

Douglas Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent assessment he has made of the extent of freedom of speech in Egypt.

William Hague: There is greater space for public debate in Egyptian society since the fall of Mubarak. But we are concerned about limits on freedom of expression in Egypt, including the increase in prosecutions of bloggers and activists, and closing of satellite television stations. Our embassy in Cairo maintains regular contact with the Egyptian Government on human rights issues.
	On 7 October 2011 the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my hon. Friend the Member for North East Bedfordshire (Alistair Burt), issued a statement expressing our serious concerns about the treatment of Maikel Nabil Sanad, an Egyptian blogger sentenced to three years imprisonment on 10 April by an Egyptian military court. He also stated the British Government's view that freedom of expression, including freedom of media and the ability for citizens to debate issues and challenge their governments, is fundamental to building a democratic society, and that we will continue to follow the human rights situation in Egypt closely.

Egypt: Religious Freedom

James Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent assessment he has made of the violence against Coptic Christians in Egypt; and whether he has plans to make representations to the Government of Egypt on the protection of religious minorities.

Alistair Burt: Tensions between Christians and Muslims had initially eased during the revolution, but there has been a resurgence of violence between the communities. The Coptic community has been calling for greater protection, equality and new legislation. We have raised our concerns about the dangers of extremism and sectarianism in Egypt with the authorities, and urged that respect for human rights be enshrined in the constitution, including guarantees for minority rights.
	The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague), issued a statement on 10 October expressing his deep concern over the unrest and the loss of life in Cairo on 9 October. He urged all Egyptians to refrain from violence, support the Egyptian Prime Minister's call for calm and for all sides to engage in dialogue. He said that the freedom of religious belief needs to be protected and that the ability to worship in peace is a vital component of a democratic society. On 12 October the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs discussed the situation in Egypt with the Egyptian Foreign Minister, Mohamed Amro.

Egypt: Trade Unions

Douglas Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent assessment his Department has made of the rights of trade unions in Egypt.

William Hague: The Egyptian authorities have indicated that they will reform labour laws and have made some progress. However Egypt has seen dramatic changes this year and significant challenges remain. As part of wider reform in Egypt, we support labour law reform and are monitoring the situation. In March 2011, the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my hon. Friend the Member for North East Bedfordshire (Alistair Burt), raised our concerns about new Egyptian laws to outlaw protests and strikes with the Egyptian Finance Minister. Staff from the British embassy in Cairo have also discussed the possibility of establishing an independent Trade Union Congress in Egypt with local trade unionists in Cairo.

E-mail

Jack Dromey: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether any (a) Ministers, (b) officials and (c) special advisers in his Department use private e-mail accounts for the conduct of Government business.

David Lidington: It is Foreign and Commonwealth Office policy that staff only use official e-mail accounts for official business.

EU General Affairs Council: Climate Change

Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what agreements on the EU position for the climate change discussions in Durban were made at the EU General Affairs Council on 12 September 2011.

Henry Bellingham: The General Affairs Council in September discussed climate change in the context of agreeing the draft agenda for the October European Council.
	The EU's position for Durban was agreed at the EU Environment Council on 10 October, at which the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, my right hon. Friend the Member for Eastleigh (Chris Huhne), represented the UK.
	The European Council on 23 October will discuss the EU's position.

European Union Bill 2010-12

Douglas Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer of 28 February 2011, Official Report, column 166W, on the European Union Bill, what the final cost to his Department was of the preparing and supporting the passage of the European Union Act 2011.

William Hague: The estimated cost to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) of preparing and supporting the passage of the European Union Act 2011 is £420,000. This figure includes the estimate of £195,000 provided in my answer of 28 February 2011 and comprises the estimated staff costs incurred by those officials engaged full-time to prepare and support the passage of the Bill, the costs charged to the FCO by the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel for the same purpose, and administrative expenditure such as travel costs incurred engaging with the EU institutions on the Bill.
	Both the assembly of a team of officials and the use of the services of the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel, for which a charge is made, are standard practice for Whitehall Departments in preparing legislation. However, no additional Government staff have been employed to develop or support the EU Bill, so there has been no increase in Government spending overall as a result of its development.

Fiji: Trade Unions

Douglas Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent assessment he has made of the rights of trade unions in Fiji.

William Hague: The arrest of two trade unionists in Fiji on 4 August for organising meetings is a contravention of the right to peaceful assembly. This is only the latest act by the military against the unions and their rights.
	On 12 August, the Minister for Europe, my right hon. Friend the Member for Aylesbury (Mr Lidington), issued a statement expressing the Government’s concern over the arrests.
	On 12 October, the Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Office, my hon. Friend the Member for Taunton Deane (Mr Browne), raised our concerns with the Fijian high commissioner.

Freedom of Expression: Internet

Douglas Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has received from (a) foreign governments and (b) international non-governmental organisations on online freedom of expression.

William Hague: There is no centrally held information on what representations we have received either from foreign governments or non-governmental organisation on this issue. Representations in the UK and with our diplomats overseas may be verbal or written; discussed directly with Ministers; or through letters to individual country desks. It is not possible to quantify this without incurring disproportionate cost.
	We regularly discuss this important issue with other governments and human rights organisations and at a sub-group of my Advisory Group on Human Rights which was set up specifically to advise the Foreign and Commonwealth Office on freedom of expression on the internet.

Freedom of Expression: Internet

Douglas Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what date has been set for the next meeting of his Department's Freedom of Expression on the Internet Expert Group.

William Hague: The Freedom of Expression on the Internet Expert Group met for the second time on 5 October, as a follow-up to the first meeting on 20 July. The next meeting is scheduled to take place in the new year, although a date has not yet been set.

Freedom of Expression: Internet

Douglas Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what groups and companies were invited to and (a) did not attend and (b) attended the first meeting of his Department's Freedom of Expression on the Internet Expert Group.

William Hague: Those invited to, but unable to attend, the first meeting of the Freedom of Expression on the Internet Expert Group were Facebook, Global Network Initiative, university of Nottingham, London metropolitan university, Reuters and Oxford Internet Institute. Those who attended were Google, Global Partners, Vodafone, Reporters Without Borders, University college London, Article 19, Amnesty International and Index on Censorship. As a matter of courtesy, all members of the Foreign Secretary's Advisory Group on Human Rights were invited.

Freedom of Expression: Internet

Douglas Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will place in the Library a copy of each paper prepared for the first meeting of his Department's Freedom of Expression on the Internet Expert Group.

William Hague: No papers were prepared in advance of this meeting.
	The Government strongly support freedom of expression on the internet, and listening to civil society and experts from academia, non-governmental organisations and the private sector is crucial to our understanding of this complex set of issues.

Ghana

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many officials of his Department are posted to Ghana.

Henry Bellingham: Approximately 170 staff work at the British high commission in Accra. This includes UK-based civil servants and staff employed locally. For operational and security reasons we cannot provide a more detailed breakdown.

Ghana

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he plans to visit Ghana.

Henry Bellingham: The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague), has no plans to visit Ghana in the near future. I visited Ghana in February and May this year. Department for International Development and Home Office Ministers visited in July and September this year respectively.

Ghana: Foreign Relations

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent assessment he has made of the state of relations between the UK and Ghana.

Henry Bellingham: The relationship between the UK and Ghana is strong and vibrant. It is rooted in our long-standing economic, political and cultural connections, our shared values, and the deep links between our peoples. The UK has historically played a key role in the country and we continue to work closely with the Ghanaians politically, commercially and through development aid.
	Politically, the UK enjoys close working relationships with all parts of the Ghanaian Government, co-operating on a range of issues, including migration, counter-narcotics and maritime security. Commercially, there are a number of large UK investments in the Ghanaian energy and telecommunications sectors.
	The UK is the second largest bilateral aid donor to Ghana and fourth largest overall. The UK has committed £85 million in development assistance in the current financial year. This will rise to £100 million in financial year 2014-15.

Gilad Shalit

Douglas Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent steps he has taken to assist efforts towards the release of Gilad Shalit.

William Hague: The UK has long called for Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit's immediate and unconditional release. We welcome the agreement between Israel and Hamas announced on 11 October to release him as part of a prisoner exchange. Holding him in captivity has been utterly unjustified from the beginning and yet it has gone on for five long years. We are pleased that this long overdue development is finally taking place.
	During his visit in June, the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my hon. Friend the Member for North East Bedfordshire (Alistair Burt), met the father of Gilad Shalit and conveyed our sympathies and concerns. Baroness Ashton, EU High Representative, met the parents on 19 July and issued a statement confirming that she would continue to raise this issue in all her meetings, on behalf of the EU.
	On 22 June, I released the following statement:
	“On the fifth anniversary of the kidnap of Israeli Staff Sergeant Gilad Shalit, we remember his family and call again for his immediate release. For five years Gilad Shalit's parents, Noam and Aviva, have been waiting for his return and praying that each day should be the last day of his captivity. It is unacceptable that Gilad Shalit is being held by Hamas without any access to the Red Cross.
	Hamas must immediately allow a representative of the Red Cross to visit him. The last sign of life was received on 2 October 2009. Gilad Shalit's family have been waiting for almost two years for another such message. It is difficult to imagine the pain and anguish they must feel. My thoughts are very much with Gilad and his family on this day. I call again for Hamas to release Gilad Shalit immediately and unconditionally.”
	Mr Shalit's long captivity has been painful for his family and I hope that he will be reunited with them as soon as possible.

Human Trafficking

Douglas Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with his (a) Brazilian, (b) Russian, (c) Indian and (d) Chinese counterparts on international trafficking in human beings.

William Hague: The UK has ongoing dialogue on a wide range of bilateral co-operation issues with these countries. Recent dialogues with India, China and Brazil have included discussion of international trafficking in human beings.

Indonesia: Papua

Jeremy Lefroy: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions his Department has had with the government of Indonesia on West Papua; and if he will make a statement.

Jeremy Browne: We regularly discuss the situation in the Indonesian provinces of Papua and West Papua with the Indonesian Government.
	Our priority for the provinces is to encourage full implementation of special autonomy and to press for increased focus on meaningful economic and social development to address the widespread poverty in the region. We also run a significant climate change programme aimed at reducing carbon emissions in Papua.

Indonesia: Papua

Jeremy Lefroy: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the prospects for dialogue between the Government of Indonesia and representatives of the people of West Papua; and what steps he is taking to encourage such a process.

Jeremy Browne: There is no formal dialogue process currently underway between the central Government of Indonesia and representatives of the people of Papua and West Papua. The President has indicated his support for ‘constructive communication’ to resolve differences and the Papua Peace Network has been working hard to build consensus around what issues any dialogue might cover. The UK continues to encourage all sides to explore the use of constructive and peaceful dialogue to resolve differences between the Government of Indonesia and representatives of the Papuan and West Papuan people.

Indonesia: Religious Freedom

William Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations his Department has made to the Government of Indonesia on its treatment of Ahmadiyya Muslims in East Java, West Java and South Sumatra.

Jeremy Browne: We have been following the cases of attacks on members of the Ahmadiyya community closely. This issue was raised bilaterally on 4 August by our embassy in Jakarta with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and by Foreign and Commonwealth Office officials in London with the Indonesian embassy.
	The recent rise in violent incidents towards minority faith groups in Indonesia is a concern and we will continue to press for tolerance and respect for all religious minorities at official and ministerial level as appropriate. Tackling discrimination and protecting minority communities was also discussed with the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs at the EU-Indonesia Human Rights Dialogue in Brussels on 9 March 2011. We will continue to push for freedom of religion to be included in discussions at future Human Rights Dialogues as well as raising the issue bilaterally with the Indonesian authorities.

Indonesia: Religious Freedom

William Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations his Department has made to the Government of Indonesia on the operation of the criminal justice system in that country in respect of crimes of violence committed against Ahmadiyya Muslims.

Jeremy Browne: We have been following the cases of attacks on members of minority faith communities, including the Ahmadiyya community, closely. The UK fully supported the EU statement of 29 July 2011 which expressed strong concern that “sentences imposed for violent crimes against religious or other minorities should always be commensurate with the gravity of the crimes committed”.
	We will continue to stress to the Indonesian Government that hate crimes should be robustly investigated and that those found guilty of involvement should receive sentences commensurate with the severity of the crimes.
	This issue was discussed bilaterally on 4 August by our embassy in Jakarta with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and by Foreign and Commonwealth Office officials in London with the Indonesian embassy. Tackling discrimination and protecting minority communities was also discussed with the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs at the EU-Indonesia Human Rights Dialogue in Brussels on 9 March 2011.

Internet: Conferences

Douglas Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what (a) companies, (b) non-governmental organisations and (c) representatives of foreign governments have been invited to his Department's conference on cyberspace on 1 and 2 November 2011.

David Lidington: To date, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office has invited approximately 245 companies and non-governmental organisations and over 60 representatives of foreign governments to the London Conference on Cyberspace on 1 to 2 November. We do not yet have a list of confirmed attendees but a complete list of all confirmed participants will be placed in the Library of the House at the start of the conference.

Iran: Nuclear Power

Douglas Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent assessment his Department has made of the Bushehr nuclear power project in Iran; and if he will make a statement.

William Hague: UN and EU sanctions against Iran have specifically allowed the construction and operation of the Bushehr power reactor. We have always respected Iran’s right to a peaceful civilian nuclear programme as long as it meets its international obligations and responsibilities. The Bushehr project underlines the fact that Iran does not need to pursue illegal activities in order to enjoy the benefits of nuclear power.
	But it should be of serious concern that as Bushehr becomes operational, Iran will be the only country with a significant nuclear programme outside the convention on nuclear safety. Iran’s isolation means its nuclear programme falls short on safety in some key respects. The convention on nuclear safety is as system of mutual oversight that sets international benchmarks on the design, construction and operation of reactors. We are pleased that Russian experts are working to ensure Bushehr is operated safely, but full co-operation with the international community is the key to Iran accessing the best international expertise and realising the full potential of a safe, secure and economically viable nuclear power programme.

Israel: Abortion

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information his Department holds on the abortion rate in Israel in each of the last three years; and if he will make a statement. [R]

Alistair Burt: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office does not hold information on abortion rates in Israel, but the Israel Central Bureau of statistics publishes data annually. These data cover the period between 2009 to 2011.

Israel: Politics and Government

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent meetings he has had with the Israeli Leader of the Opposition; what issues were discussed; and if he will make a statement. [R]

Alistair Burt: The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague), most recently met with the Leader of the Opposition of Israel, Tzipi Livni, on 6 October 2011. Speaking after the meeting, he issued the following statement:
	“I was delighted to welcome Ms Livni to London at a critical moment for the Middle East. It was an appalling situation when political abuse of our legal procedures prevented people like Mrs Livni from travelling legitimately to the UK. We have dealt with this urgently as we promised to on coming to office. The UK will continue to honour our international obligations and make sure that people who have committed some of the most awful crimes—wherever in the world they took place—can be brought to justice in our courts.
	Today's meeting showed the warmth and strength of our bilateral relations. Israel is an important ally and we will continue to work together to face common threats such as the Iranian nuclear programme. We discussed the importance of building support for a two state solution that leads to a lasting peace in the Middle East. I made clear my desire to see Israel secure now and in the future, alongside a Palestinian state, and my belief that both Israelis and Palestinians should return to talks in line with the Quartet Statement.”

Libya: Armed Conflict

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the Libyan National Transitional Council on the implementation of (a) extradition policy and (b) other new policies for that country.

Alistair Burt: The National Transitional Council's (NTC) immediate priorities are ensuring security across the country and dealing with short-term humanitarian needs. In parallel, they are starting to rebuild their country and establish new structures for political dialogue. We are in discussion with the NTC on all these issues.
	While we have had a number of discussions with the NTC regarding crimes committed by the Gaddafi regime, we have not as yet discussed Libya's extradition policies in particular. There is a wide range of issues we will want to raise with a new transitional Government and its post-election successors, among which will be their approach to this subject.

Libya: Economic Situation

Douglas Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent assessment he has made of the potential contribution of member countries of the Arab League to economic recovery in Libya.

William Hague: Regional states have played an integral role in the international effort to protect civilians in Libya and will also be crucial to Libya’s economic recovery. The UN, in the form of the UN Support Mission in Libya, has been tasked with co-ordinating the international response to the stabilisation agenda in Libya. We anticipate that the countries of the Arab League will play an important part in providing the support the Libyan Government requires to rebuild the Libyan economy, and the Government will continue to work closely with them, the UN, International Monetary Fund and World Bank on this issue.

Libya: Politics and Government

Kwasi Kwarteng: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent assessment he has made of the ideological objectives of the National Transitional Council in Libya.

Alistair Burt: In their draft constitutional declaration, the National Transitional Council (NTC) set out their road map for governance, leading up to elections and achieving democracy. Their stated aims are that Libya works towards
	‘a stable, secure and just society that promotes education and culture, provides welfare and healthcare, raising the young generation according to the values of Islam, selflessness and patriotism’.
	The NTC have also said that they want to see a Libya that is a democratic, independent state, with its people the source of authority, Islam its religion and Islamic sharia as the main source of legislation while guaranteeing the rights of all sections of Libyan society.

Libya: Terrorism

David Mowat: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with members of Libya's National Transitional Council on compensation payments for British victims of Libyan state-sponsored terrorism.

Alistair Burt: As the Prime Minister, said on 5 September 2011, Official Report, columns 23-26, this will be an important bilateral issue between the UK and the new Libyan authorities. The National Transitional Council's Chairman Abdul Jalil and Prime Minister Jibril have assured the Government that they will work with the UK to resolve bilateral issues arising from the wrongs of the Gaddafi regime. More detailed discussions with Libya on this specific issue will await the establishment of a new Libyan transitional Government.

Malawi: Demonstrations

Tom Greatrex: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the Government of Malawi on its response to recent anti-government protests.

Henry Bellingham: The UK deplored the violence that marred the demonstrations across Malawi on 20 July 2011. As well as urging restraint on both sides, I publicly condemned the threatening behaviour of elements of President Mutharika’s party, and the violence meted out to protestors and the media by the police resulting in the deaths of 20 people. In discussions with Malawi’s Foreign Minister in London on 12 October, the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague), the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for International Development, my hon. Friend the Member for Eddisbury (Mr O’Brien), and I made it clear that the rights of free assembly and expression guaranteed under the Malawian constitution must be respected, and the safety of people exercising those rights must be guaranteed.

Malawi: Human Rights

Tom Greatrex: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received on the human rights situation in Malawi following the death of Robert Chasowa.

Henry Bellingham: I am deeply concerned about the human rights situation in Malawi. The death of Robert Chasowa, a student activist, comes after a string of arson attacks and death threats against prominent civil society figures and other Malawians who have criticised the behaviour of their President. In discussions with Malawi’s Foreign Minister in London on 12 October, the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague), the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for International Development, my hon. Friend the Member for Eddisbury (Mr O’Brien), and I called on the Malawian Government to do all it can to protect human rights defenders, investigate these crimes and hold those responsible accountable for their actions. We further underlined our serious concern at the dangerous rhetoric President Mutharika has used against civil society, which has the potential to incite further violence. While HMG takes no partisan position in Malawian politics, we will continue to put pressure on the Government of Malawi to respect their international human rights commitments, and we intend to step up our support to civil society organisations in Malawi that promote accountability, transparency and respect for human rights.

Nigeria: Armed Conflict

Meg Hillier: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what support his Department is providing to the Government of Nigeria to help resolve localised violent conflict in that country.

Henry Bellingham: During post-election violence in April 2011, the British high commission in Abuja initiated an international community statement urging restraint, and worked with Nigerian political leaders to use their influence to calm the inflamed situation, particularly in northern Nigeria.
	We remain concerned about inter-communal violence in Plateau State in Nigeria. Over the past year the British high commission in Abuja has regularly met state and federal level authorities including the Chair of the Presidential Committee on the Jos Crisis, Chief Solomon Lar, as well as traditional and religious leaders, and stressed the need to implement a long-term approach combining job opportunities, reconciliation and political settlement. The British high commission also works closely with the Department for International Development on ground-level peace initiatives in Jos which have worked to increase dialogue between communities and to provide vocational skills training.
	We welcome the improved levels of peace and security in the Niger delta which have resulted from the Nigerian Government's amnesty process which began in 2009. On my visit to Nigeria in February this year I stressed the importance of economic growth and the provision of employment opportunities for young people in the delta when I met Rotimi Amaechi, the Governor of Rivers State, in Port Harcourt.

Nigeria: Terrorism

Meg Hillier: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what contribution his Department is making to combating emerging terrorist threats in Nigeria.

Henry Bellingham: As the Prime Minister made clear on his visit to Nigeria in July, we have a strong counter-terrorism relationship with Nigeria that we want to develop. Following the 26 August attack on the UN building in Abuja, it is clear that the threat from terrorism in Nigeria is evolving. We are working with the Nigerian Government to promote a response that is both proportionate and targeted.

Piracy

Douglas Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with his (a) Brazilian, (b) Russian, (c) Indian and (d) Chinese counterparts on international piracy.

William Hague: The UK has ongoing dialogue with these countries on a wide range of bilateral co-operation issues, including international piracy. The Government are committed to tackling piracy in the Indian ocean and critical Gulf of Aden trade artery and UK naval forces work alongside those of China, India and Russia demonstrating unprecedented levels of military co-ordination. The Government works closely with Brazil, China, India and Russia through the UN Security Council, which pays close attention to piracy, as well as in the Contact Group on Piracy off the Coast of Somalia, to ensure that the international effort to counter-piracy is as co-ordinated and effective as possible in protecting seafarers, safeguarding the freedom of global trade and in promoting stability in Somalia and the region. Piracy will be discussed during the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting in Perth this month.

Public Sector

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps his Department has taken to encourage the development of public service mutuals in its area of responsibility; and if he will make a statement.

William Hague: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office supports this policy. It has not identified any opportunities to implement this policy within its own operations, but will continue to discuss the subject with the Cabinet Office.

Quadrennial Diplomacy and Development Review

Douglas Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what evidence he considered in assessing the merits of instituting a Quadrennial Diplomacy and Development Review.

William Hague: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) departmental business plan contains a commitment to assess the merits of Quadrennial Diplomacy and Development Review (QDDR).
	FCO officials are currently working with their Department for International Development and Cabinet Office counterparts to provide a single assessment for Ministers on the merits of instituting a QDDR.
	The work is due to be completed in December 2011.

Sierra Leone

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many officials of his Department are posted to Sierra Leone.

Henry Bellingham: Approximately 200 staff work at the British high commission in Freetown. This includes UK-based civil servants and staff employed locally. For operational and security reasons we cannot provide a more detailed breakdown.

Sierra Leone: Foreign Relations

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent assessment he has made of the state of relations between the UK and Sierra Leone.

Henry Bellingham: The UK’s bilateral relationship with Sierra Leone is strong. The UK has historically played a key role in bringing stability to the country and we continue to do so politically, commercially, militarily and through development aid.
	Politically, the UK enjoys close working relationships with all parts of the Sierra Leonean Government. Commercially, there are a number of large UK investments in the Sierra Leonean mining and energy sectors. I will address an investment conference in London on 20 October designed to promote UK-Sierra Leone commercial links.
	The UK-led international military assistance training team in Freetown has provided training to the Sierra Leone armed forces and continues to provide mentoring and advice at senior levels of Government. The UK is the largest bilateral aid donor to Sierra Leone, giving approximately £445 million over the past 10 years. Following the outcome of the Department for International Development’s bilateral aid review, UK aid spend in Sierra Leone will increase over the next four years.

South Sudan: Politics and Government

Kwasi Kwarteng: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent assessment he has made of (a) the political development of South Sudan and (b) the state of relations between South Sudan and Sudan.

Henry Bellingham: President Kiir appointed a new Cabinet in September. The British ambassador and Head of the Department for International Development (DFID), South Sudan hold regular meetings with South Sudanese Ministers and will continue to engage with them. The UK is also offering support through DFID to support capacity building in political institutions.
	Long-term peace between Sudan and South Sudan can only be found through negotiation. South Sudanese President Kiir and Sudanese President Bashir met in Khartoum on 9 October, where they committed to peaceful dialogue. We urge them to now deliver on this commitment and resolve their remaining areas of difference, particularly on oil, citizenship and border demarcation and the status of the disputed region of Abyei.

Sudan: Politics and Government

Andrew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent reports he has received on the dismissal of the elected governor of Blue Nile state in Sudan; and if he will make a statement.

Henry Bellingham: We are greatly concerned at the ongoing violence in Blue Nile state following the outbreak of fighting on 2 September, and the dismissal of its elected governor, Malik Agar, and his replacement by a Government nominee. We urge all parties to work towards a ceasefire, and to address the root causes of conflict in the area.

Sudan: Politics and Government

Andrew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent reports he has received on the nomination of the (a) Deputy Chief Administrator for the Abyei Area and (b) Speaker of Abyei Area Council; and if he will make a statement.

Henry Bellingham: We continue to encourage the Government of Sudan and the Government of South Sudan to reach an agreement quickly on arrangements for the administration of Abyei, in line with the Abyei Interim Agreement of 20 June.

Sudan: Politics and Government

Andrew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his policy is on parties that missed the deadline for withdrawal of forces from the Abyei Area.

Henry Bellingham: We are deeply concerned that the Sudanese armed forces and the Sudan People's Liberation Army have not yet withdrawn from the Abyei area despite the presence of the UN Interim Security Force in Abyei. This contravenes the arrangements set out in the Abyei Interim Agreement of 20 June and of UN Security Council Resolution 1990. We call on both sides to withdraw fully their troops immediately, and for full humanitarian access to be granted.

Sudan: Politics and Government

Andrew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he has received reports from the Force Commander of the UN Interim Security Force for Abyei on the withdrawal of Sudanese People's Liberation Army forces from the Abyei area.

Henry Bellingham: UN Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations Hervé Ladsous said in his briefing on the deployment of the UN Interim Security Force in Abyei to the UN Security Council on 6 October that neither the Sudanese People's Liberation Army nor the Sudanese armed forces had withdrawn from Abyei.
	We continue to make clear to both parties, including through the UN Security Council, that both sides should fully withdraw immediately and allow full humanitarian access to the area.

Syria: Foreign Relations

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make representations to the governments of (a) Russia and (b) China on their relations with the government of Syria and attempts to bring about peaceful change in that country.

Alistair Burt: The UK has led efforts to build international pressure on President Assad's regime to end the violence in Syria. The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague), has spoken to both his Chinese and Russian counterparts about this, most recently with Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov during his visit to Moscow with the Prime Minister, my right hon. Friend the Member for Witney (Mr Cameron), on 12 September. The Foreign Secretary made clear that he thought the Russian and Chinese veto of the draft UN Security Council Resolution on Syria on 3 October was:
	“a bitter blow to all those Syrians who have implored the international community to take a stand.”
	The UK will continue to press Russia and China to put pressure on the Syrian regime to stop the violence.

Syria: Politics and Government

Douglas Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent estimate he has made of the number of civilian deaths in Syria during the recent demonstrations in that country.

William Hague: The latest estimate provided by the UN, on 6 October, is in excess of 3,000 dead since the violence in Syria began. The severe restrictions imposed by the Syrian authorities on reporting in Syria and the refusal by the Syrian authorities to allow unfettered access to independent international organisations and international media to Syria means that figures for the number of casualties can only be estimated.

Third Sector

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much direct funding his Department provided to each civil society organisation it funded in (a) 2010-11 and (b) 2011-12; how much it expects to provide in (i) 2012-13, (ii) 2013-14 and (iii) 2014-15; and if he will make a statement.

David Lidington: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) makes grants to project implementers and other organisations around the world to help deliver UK foreign policy objectives.
	Budgets in the FCO are devolved to nearly 270 posts and details of these payments are not held centrally. As a result, this information could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Turks and Caicos Islands

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent progress has been made on the installation of the Coastal Radar System in the British Overseas Territory of Turks and Caicos; and if he will make a statement.

Henry Bellingham: The Coastal Radar System is not yet operational. This delay is frustrating as the system will give the Turks and Caicos Islands increased capability to tackle drug and people trafficking.
	Work on the building, tower and antennae for the Coastal Radar Station is now complete and the transceivers are in place. However, other electronic equipment deteriorated while in storage. The supplier has been asked to tender for remedial work to make the station operational as soon as possible.

Turks and Caicos Islands

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to commemorate the Queen's Diamond Jubilee in the British Overseas Territory of Turks and Caicos in 2012.

Henry Bellingham: The Turks and Caicos Islands will participate in the Diamond Jubilee Beacons project which will see 2,012 beacons lit across the UK and around the world. The Turks and Caicos Islands Government are considering other ideas for marking the diamond jubilee.

Turks and Caicos Islands

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent reports he has received on the investigation by the Special Investigation and Prosecution Team in Turks and Caicos; and if he will make a statement.

Henry Bellingham: I am following the progress of the Special Investigation and Prosecution Team and receive regular reports on their work.
	The Special Prosecutor has concluded the majority of the investigation within her 18-month estimate. It would be premature to make any further statement because this is a criminal investigation and until such time as charges are preferred and persons are brought before the court, it would be improper and potentially prejudicial to the investigation to do so.

USA: Scholarships

Douglas Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information his Department holds on the number of Marshall scholars who are employed in the US executive or legislature.

William Hague: Records held by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the Marshall Aid Commemoration Commission indicate that there are at least 25 former Marshall scholars currently working in the US Government’s executive and legislature and one former Marshall scholar is currently one of the nine Supreme Court Justices.

USA: Visas

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations he has received on the cost of obtaining a visa for travel to the US.

Alistair Burt: The United States Visa Waiver Programme (VWP) allows most British passport holders to visit the US for up to 90 days without having to obtain a visa, although those doing so must apply for advanced authorisation through the Electronic System for Travel Authorisation (ESTA). There are also a variety of visas available for other types of travel, including for workers and students, and the cost of obtaining these can range from approximately $140-800. Our records show that we have received no representations related to visa costs in 2011.

Yemen

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many officials in his Department are stationed in Yemen.

Alistair Burt: I refer my hon. Friend to the response given by the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague), on 17 February 2011, Official Report, columns 993-97W.

Yemen

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what consular assistance his Department is providing to British citizens in Yemen following recent civil unrest in that country.

Alistair Burt: As our travel advice makes clear the FCO's current ability to provide any consular assistance in Yemen is very limited. We currently advise against all travel to Yemen and strongly urge British nationals to leave now by commercial means. It also makes clear that if British nationals do not leave the country now while there are some commercial airlines still operating, it is extremely unlikely that the British Government will be able to evacuate them or provide consular assistance. We strongly advise British nationals to make plans and leave immediately.

Yulia Tymoshenko

Denis MacShane: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make representations to the Government of Ukraine against the prison sentence given to Yulia Tymoshenko; and if he will make a statement.

David Lidington: I refer the right hon. Member to the answer given by the Prime Minister on 12 October 2011, Official Report, column 315. We have repeatedly and consistently told representatives of the Ukrainian Government that the way the trials against their political opponents, including Ms Tymoshenko, have been conducted belies their commitment to a closer relationship with the EU. The Deputy Prime Minister, my right hon. Friend the Member for Sheffield, Hallam (Mr Clegg), spoke directly to President Yanukovych during the Eastern Partnership summit in Warsaw on 29-30 September and told him that cases such as Tymoshenko's were a threat to UK parliamentary support for ratification of the Association Agreement and Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Agreement (DCFTA). The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague), issued a press statement on 12 October 2011 expressing deep concern about the verdict and sentence.
	We continue to monitor the situation closely and to use every opportunity to urge the Ukrainian authorities to respect EU standards.

Yvonne Fletcher

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what work has been undertaken to secure the extradition from Libya of the main suspect in the case of the shooting of WPC Yvonne Fletcher.

Alistair Burt: Helping the Metropolitan Police Service conclude the investigation into the killing of WPC Yvonne Fletcher is a priority for this Government. It will be an important issue in the UK's bilateral relations with the new Libyan authorities. The Government are in regular contact with the Metropolitan police and we stand ready to assist them in returning to Tripoli as soon as the conditions on the ground allow.
	The National Transitional Council's chairman, Abdul Jalil, and Prime Minister Jibril have assured the Government that they will work with the UK to resolve the ongoing investigation into the killing of WPC Fletcher.

WORK AND PENSIONS

Asbestos

Lindsay Roy: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether he plans to take steps to raise the awareness of the dangers of asbestos to (a) construction workers, (b) plumbers, (c) carpenters and joiners and (d) electricians.

Chris Grayling: Since 2008, the HSE's 'Hidden Killer' campaign has been effective in raising awareness among the workers most likely to be exposed to asbestos in the workplace, including plumbers, joiners and electricians. HSE continues to work with industry and others to develop and deliver new approaches to raise awareness among those most at risk.
	Examples of these approaches include:
	The asbestos “Training Pledge” initiative, launched on 5 September this year. Under the initiative, training providers have pledged to provide free asbestos awareness training to tradespeople who may be exposed to asbestos as part of their work. By the end of the pledge period on 30 September, training companies throughout Great Britain had pledged over 13,500 hours of free classroom based and online training. Tradespeople will be able to undertake this training throughout October and November 2011.
	Work with educational partners to develop training materials that colleges can use to raise awareness of the risks of working with asbestos to those new to the construction and maintenance industries.

Child Benefit: Ashfield

Gloria De Piero: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many claimants there were of child benefit in Ashfield constituency in each year from 2005 to 2011.

David Gauke: I have been asked to reply.
	The following table gives the requested information:
	
		
			 Child benefit claimants in Ashfield Constituency  , 2005-  1  0 
			  Number of families Number of children 
			 2010 12,840 21,795 
			 2009 12,625 21,455 
			 2008 12,415 21,175 
			 2007 12,390 21,260 
			 2006 12,335 21,245 
			 2005 12,235 21,085 
		
	
	This data can be found in the geographical statistics publications on the HMRC website at:
	http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/child_benefit/geographical.htm

Child Support Agency

Alok Sharma: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  what estimate he has made of the number of Child Support Agency cases where regular payments by the non-resident parent are not made;
	(2)  how many clients of the Child Support Agency are resident in Reading West constituency;
	(3)  how many successful prosecutions there have been for failure to make payments to the Child Support Agency of non-resident parents of children residing in Reading West constituency.

Maria Miller: The Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission is responsible for the child maintenance system. I have asked the Child Maintenance Commissioner to write to the hon. Member with the information requested and I have seen the response.
	Letter from Noel Shanahan, dated 8 September 2011
	In reply to your recent Parliamentary Questions about the Child Support Agency, the Secretary of State promised a substantive reply from the Child Maintenance Commissioner as the Child Support Agency is now the responsibility of the Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission.
	; and
	; and
	You asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many successful prosecutions there have been for failure to make payments to the Child Support Agency of non-resident parents of children residing in Reading West constituency.
	The June 2011 Child Support Agency Quarterly Summary of Statistics (QSS) available at:
	http://www.childmaintenance.org/en/publications/stats0611.html
	and in the House of Commons library shows that 669,400 cases made a child maintenance payment out of 862,100 cases where maintenance was due in the quarter to June 2011. This leaves 192,700 cases which did not make a maintenance payment.
	There were 1,770 cases as at June 2011 where the parent with care was resident in Reading West constituency. Of these cases, 1,030 received a child maintenance payment in the quarter to June 2011 out of 1,310 cases where maintenance was due. This leaves 280 cases which did not receive a maintenance payment.
	There were 1,870 cases as at June 2011 where the non-resident parent was resident in Reading West constituency. Of these cases, 1,130 made a child maintenance payment in the quarter to June 2011 out of 1,430 cases where maintenance was due. This leaves 300 cases which did not make a maintenance payment.
	Please note a proportion of these cases will be the same caseload where both the non-resident parent and the parent with care are resident in Reading West constituency. Caseload figures include cases administered on the CS2 and CSCS computer systems as well as cases administered off-system.
	Failure to pay child maintenance is not a criminal offence, so parents can not be prosecuted. However, where a non-resident parent fails to pay maintenance, there are a number of enforcement actions available. Money can be taken directly from a non-resident parent's earnings if the non-resident parent is employed, money can be taken directly from a non-resident parent's bank or building society account, or action can be taken through the courts.
	The most serious forms of enforcement are commitment to prison or disqualification from driving. The decision whether to implement, and the length of the order, is at the discretion of a Magistrates' Court (or Sheriff in Scotland) where they are satisfied that a non-resident parent has “wilfully refused or culpably neglected” to pay child maintenance - but this is not a criminal sanction.
	Page 23 of the June 2011 QSS shows enforcement actions carried out by the Child Support Agency. It is not possible to break these figures specifically for those non-resident parents who have failed to pay maintenance for children residing in Reading West.
	I hope you find this answer helpful.

Children: Maintenance

William Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will assess the likely effects of the introduction of charges for use of the statutory child support service on (a) each income decile of the population and (b) lone parents.

Maria Miller: The Department for Work and Pensions will produce estimates of the numbers impacted when we publish detailed proposals in the form of draft regulations. The impact assessments for the draft regulations will set out the estimated impacts on volumes and individuals.

Crisis Loans: South Wales

Simon Hart: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many applications for (a) crisis loans and (b) budgeting loans were rejected in Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire constituency in each of the last five years.

Steve Webb: Data are not available for Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire therefore the budget area of Llanelli has been used as it covers the relevant constituency. However, data for Llanelli also cover areas outside of the constituency.
	The data are provided in the following table:
	
		
			 N  umber of initial refusals for budgeting loans (BLs) and crisis loans (CLs) over the last five years 
			  2006-07 2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 
			 BLs initial refusals 6,940 5,880 7,010 7,570 7,370 
			 CLs initial refusals 5,740 11,870 12,510 12,840 10,580 
			 Notes: 1. The information provided is Management Information. Our preference is to answer all parliamentary questions using Official/National Statistics but in this case we only have Management Information available. It is not quality assured to the same extent as Official/National statistics and there are some issues with the data, for example they do not include applications which were processed clerically and have not yet been entered on to the Social Fund Computer System. 2. Figures are based on initial refusals and do not include changes made on review. 3. Figures rounded to the nearest 10.

Crisis Loans: South Wales

Simon Hart: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people have (a) applied for and (b) received (i) crisis loans and (ii) budgeting loans in Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire constituency in each of the last five years.

Steve Webb: Data are not available for Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire therefore the budget area of Llanelli has been used as it covers the relevant constituency. However, data for Llanelli also cover areas outside of the constituency.
	The data are provided in the following table.
	
		
			 N  umber of applications and initial awards received for budgeting loans (BLs) and crisis loans (CLs) over the last five years 
			  2006-07 2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 
			 BLs applications 30,870 27,570 27,870 29,980 28,520 
			 BLs initial awards 23,070 20,950 19,640 21,110 20,340 
			 CLs applications 25,250 48,740 63,140 71,570 58,420 
			 CLs initial awards 18,320 34,330 46,840 55,370 46,480 
			 Notes: 1. The information provided is Management Information. Our preference is to answer all parliamentary questions using Official/National Statistics but in this case we only have Management Information available. It is not quality assured to the same extent as Official/National statistics and there are some issues with the data, for example, they do not include applications which were processed clerically and have not yet been entered on to the Social Fund Computer System. 2. Figures are based on initial awards and do not include changes made on review. 3. Figures rounded to the nearest 10.

Disability Living Allowance: Scotland

Margaret Curran: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many children in (a) Glasgow and (b) Scotland currently receive disability living allowance for cancer.

Maria Miller: Information on the number of children in Glasgow local authority and Scotland receiving disability living allowance with malignant disease as their main disabling condition is contained in the following table.
	
		
			 Children (aged under 16) in receipt of disability living allowance in Scotland and Glasgow local authority with malignant disease as their main disabling condition, February 2011 
			  Number 
			 Glasgow local authority 40 
			 Scotland 290 
			 Notes: 1. Case loads are rounded to the nearest 10. Totals may not sum due to rounding. 2. Figures do not include people with entitlement where the payment has been suspended, for example, if they are in hospital. 3. A diagnosed medical condition does not mean that someone is automatically entitled to DLA. Entitlement is dependent on an assessment of how much help someone needs with personal care and/or mobility because of their disability. These statistics are only collected for administrative purposes. Source: Department for Work and Pensions, Information Directorate 100% WPLS.

Employment Schemes: Offenders

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether he plans to make provision at the entry point to the work programme for ex-offenders to allow them to be met on the day of their release from prison by work programme providers.

Chris Grayling: The Deputy Prime Minister announced on 16 August that, from March 2012, the Government intend to bring forward the entry point to the Work Programme for prison leavers. Any prison leaver who claims jobseeker's allowance within 13 weeks of release will be mandated to the Work Programme from the point of claim.
	To enable mandatory referral to the Work Programme immediately on release and provide a true "through the gates" service, Jobcentre Plus will build on current arrangements by bringing forward the jobseeker's allowance claim taking and processing of information in prison, which is currently carried out post-release. The decision to make a claim to benefit will be on a voluntary basis.

Employment: Scotland

Ann McKechin: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what discussions he has had with Scottish Ministers on the likely effect of his legislative proposals on welfare reform on the future employment of local authority employees in Scotland who administer housing benefits.

Chris Grayling: The Department of Work and Pensions keeps in regular contact with the Scottish Government on the subject of welfare reform at both ministerial and official levels. For example, universal credit programme officials are working jointly with both the Scottish Government and with the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities, as well as wider Scottish stakeholders, on the delivery implications of universal credit in Scotland. The Scottish Government and the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities are also both members of the Universal Credit Senior Stakeholder Board, which provides advice and guidance to the Programme Board. This enables Scotland to share knowledge, experience and insights to inform the thinking of the Board and to support design, development and implementation. The views and advice of the group are represented at the Programme Board to inform decision making on issues including the delivery model.
	Universal credit will be delivered by DWP—drawing on the expertise of HMRC and local authorities. As DWP start to build the organisation to deliver universal credit, and we have yet to settle on the precise detail, and select the right people with the right capability it is likely some of those skills will exist within local authorities. We will therefore always look to include local authority staff in our thinking. In relation to the longer term delivery of universal credit, we will continue to work with colleagues in HM Revenue and Customs and Local Authorities to test new ways of working and impact ongoing delivery model design at both a national and local level. Our aim is to work collaboratively to enable the decision making process and deliver optimal value.

Homelessness: Cambridge

Julian Huppert: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  what assessment he has made of the effect of the boundaries of the Cambridge Broad Rental Market Area on levels of (a) unemployment and (b) homelessness in Cambridge;
	(2)  what assessment he has made of the efficacy of Broad Rental Market Areas since the completion of the most recent reviews of their boundaries.

Steve Webb: Broad Rental Market Areas are an essential feature in calculating rates of housing benefit for tenants in the private rented sector. All English Broad Rental Market Areas were reviewed by the Valuation Office Agency rent officers over a two-year period ending in March 2011. On the whole we are satisfied that these current arrangements are working well and there are no current plans to assess the effect or the efficacy of the boundaries.

Industrial Health and Safety

Christopher Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what progress the Government have made in implementing the proposals of Lord Young of Graffham's 2010 report on deregulation.

Chris Grayling: Regular updates on progress against the Common Sense Common Safety recommendations, according to the Government body which is responsible for updating them, are published on the DWP website at:
	http://www.dwp.gov.uk/policy/health-and-safety/
	A further updated progress report will be published later in the autumn.

Industrial Health and Safety

Christopher Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the Government's policy is on the provisions of the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulation Bill.

Chris Grayling: The Government note that the provisions of this Bill seek to repeal part of the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations (RIDDOR) 1995 so that there is no duty to report injuries causing incapacitation.
	The Government have already accepted the recommendation in 'Common Sense, Common Safety' for a re-examination of RIDDOR to determine whether this is the best approach to providing an accurate national picture of workplace accidents. In the meantime, the Government are already proposing to amend RIDDOR to extend, from three to seven days, the period of incapacitation before an injury to a person at work must be reported.

Industrial Health and Safety

Christopher Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the Government's policy is on the provisions of the Self-Employment (Risk Assessment Exemption) Bill.

Chris Grayling: The Government note that the provisions of the Bill seek to implement the recommendation in “Common Sense Common Safety” to exempt the self-employed in low hazard businesses from risk assessments.
	Currently those who employ five or fewer do not need to record the outcome of their risk assessment, this already covers a large number of self-employed people. HSE continues to emphasise this exemption in guidance such as Health and Safety Made Simple.
	I have initiated an independent review of health and safety, led by Professor Ragnar Löfstedt. The review will consider the opportunities for reducing the burden of health and safety legislation on UK businesses, including the self-employed. The outcome of the review will be published later in the autumn.

Industrial Health and Safety

Christopher Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the Government's policy is on the provisions of the Low Hazard Workplaces (Risk Assessment Exemption) Bill.

Chris Grayling: The Government note that the provisions of the Bill seek to implement the recommendations in “Common Sense Common Safety” for low hazard workplaces. I can report that implementation of the recommendations is progressing rapidly.
	The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has developed online risk assessment tools for offices, shops and charity shops and has developed guidance such as Health and Safety Made Simple which sets out clearly what the basic health and safety requirements are. This includes making clear that those who employ fewer than five do not have to record their risk assessments.

Motability

Gloria De Piero: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people will no longer have access to the Motability scheme in (a) Nottinghamshire and (b) England following changes in funding for the high rate disability living allowance.

Maria Miller: We have made it clear that we will not remove the disability living allowance mobility component from people in residential care in 2012. Instead, we will consider the needs of people living in residential care at the same time as all other disability living allowance recipients as we develop the personal independence payment.
	We will ensure that when we introduce personal independence payment from April 2013 it treats disabled people fairly, regardless of their place of residence and does not diminish disabled people's ability to get out and about.
	We estimate that there are around 12,000 Motability customers in Great Britain resident in care homes who have their care funded by the state. It is not possible to obtain reliable estimates of Motability customers below Great Britain level.

Pension Credit

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when his Department expects to determine the claim for pension credit of Brian Tudor made on 16 July 2011.

Steve Webb: Mr Tudor’s pension credit was awarded on 29 September 2011 and arrears for the period 20 July 2011 to 4 October 2011 were also issued on that date.

Pension Credit

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether people making a second claim for pension credit are required to fill in another copy of the application form by which they made their original claim.

Steve Webb: Entitlement to pension credit is dependant on the making of a claim. Where an award of pension credit has been made following a claim, and that award is ended, a further claim will be required before the benefit may be awarded again. This will enable up-to-date details of the claimant’s circumstances to be established before a further award is made.
	Pension credit may be claimed in writing or by telephone. It is not therefore always necessary for an individual to complete an application form themselves as the initial claim and any subsequent claims may be made by telephone. Where applying by telephone or in writing is difficult for the claimant, it may be possible to arrange a visit in order to take the claim.
	Where a claim is made by telephone, but all the information needed to decide the claim is not provided at that time, that claim will be defective. In that case, the person making the claim will be given the opportunity to provide the necessary information, and if that information is provided within one month or a longer period as may be considered reasonable, the claim is treated as if it were made on the original date.

Pensioners: Scotland

Eilidh Whiteford: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many pensioners in Scotland were (a) eligible and (b) received the winter fuel payment in 2010-11; and how many such pensioners he estimate will be eligible for the winter fuel payment in 2011-12.

Steve Webb: The information is available in the document winter fuel payment recipients 2010-11 by age and gender and local authority. This is available in the Commons Library and on the internet at
	http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/index.php?page=wfp
	We expect a similar number of payments to be made in Scotland for winter 2011-12.

Pensions

Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether he has made an assessment of the implications for UK pension schemes of the 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals for the Southern District of New York's ruling of 19 September 2011 on Aguinda v. Chevron; and what plans he has to review pension providers' management of environmental, social and governance risks.

Steve Webb: The Aguinda v. Chevron case concerns a long dispute over the environmental damage caused by an oil company in Ecuador. On the 19 September 2011 a US court overturned a block on Ecuadoreans collecting damages totalling $18.2 billion (£11.5 billion) from Chevron over Amazon oil pollution.
	The law already requires that an occupational pension scheme's ‘Statement of Investment Principles’ must include a declaration of the extent to which social, environmental and ethical considerations are taken into account in the scheme's investments. The statement must also include the scheme's policy (if any) in relation to the exercise of the rights (including voting rights) attaching to the investments.
	The Government fully support the highest standards of corporate governance and ethical behaviour and consider such high standards can contribute to better company performance, by helping a board discharge its duties in the best interests of shareholders. The Government continue to keep under review the role of pension scheme trustees in the governance process and, in particular, the adequacy of the rules that apply to the investment of scheme funds.

Pensions: Females

Nicky Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what proposals he plans to bring forward to offer financial assistance to women born between December 1953 and October 1954 on a transitional basis as a result of the proposed increase in the state pension age.

Steve Webb: I refer the hon. Member to the written statement I gave on 13 October 2011, Official Report, column 47WS.
	The Government have tabled an amendment to clause 1 of the Pensions Bill for Parliament to consider at the next stage of the Bill, scheduled for 18 October.

Stress

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what his policy is on addressing work-related stress problems and if he will make a statement.

Chris Grayling: To help business address this issue appropriately, HSE has developed the Management Standards for work related stress. The standards were the subject of consultation with a wide range of stakeholders and build on an extensive evidence base. This voluntary approach, which is supported by further guidance and free on-line tools, has been taken up by many employers as a sensible and proportionate way to address the issue in the workplace.

Telephone Calls

Simon Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what guidance he has issued to Work programme providers on the use of 084 and 087 prefix telephone numbers.

Chris Grayling: The underlying principles of the Work programme give providers the flexibility to design an innovative and personalised approach to helping participants into sustained employment. The providers are best placed to decide how to communicate with participants. If they choose to use 084 or 087 telephone numbers, they need to ensure that they adhere to the Advertising Standards Authority code of practice—this mandates marketers and communicators to advise customers of the potential cost of telephone calls whenever a non-geographical number is referenced.
	DWP have been clear with providers that participants should not be worse off by virtue of attending the Work programme.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Alcoholic Drinks: Young People

David Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people were (a) cautioned, (b) charged and (c) given a penalty notice for disorder for selling alcohol to people under the age of 18 in each London borough in each of the last three years.

Crispin Blunt: I have been asked to reply.
	The number of cautions issued and persons proceeded against at magistrates courts in the Metropolitan and City of London Police Force Areas for selling alcohol to people under the age of 18 is provided in table 1. Table 2 shows the number of penalty notices issued in the Metropolitan and City of London Police Force Areas for selling alcohol to people under the age of 18.
	Charging data are not collected centrally by the Ministry of Justice; prosecution data are provided in lieu.
	Information available centrally does not allow a breakdown at borough level.
	Court proceedings data for 2011 are planned for publication in the spring, 2012.
	
		
			 Table 1: Persons cautioned  (1,2)   and proceeded against at magistrates courts for the sale of alcohol to persons under 18 years  (3)  , London  (4)  , 2008-10  (5) 
			  2008 2009 2010 
			 Cautioned    
			 London — 1 — 
			 England and Wales 28 39 32 
			     
			 Proceeded against(6)    
			 London 66 76 49 
			 England and Wales 393 400 297 
			 (1) The cautions statistics relate to persons for whom these offences were the principal offences for which they were dealt with. When an offender has been cautioned for two or more offences at the same time the principal offence is the more serious offence. (2) From 1 June 2000 the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 came into force nationally and removed the use of cautions for persons under 18 and replaced them with reprimands and warnings. These figures have been included in the totals. (3) Offences include: Licensing Act 2003 section 146 Sale of alcohol to person under 18 section 147A Persistently selling alcohol to children (4) Includes both Metropolitan police force area and City of London. (5) Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used. (6) The figures given in the table on court proceedings relate to persons for whom these offences were the principal offences for which they were dealt with. When a defendant has been found guilty of two or more offences it is the offence for which the heaviest penalty is imposed. Where the same disposal is imposed for two or more offences, the offence selected is the offence for which the statutory maximum penalty is the most severe. Source: Justice Statistics Analytical Services—Ministry of Justice 
		
	
	
		
			 Table 2: Number of Penalty Notices for Disorder issued to persons aged 16 and over for sale of alcohol to person aged under 18 years, London  (1)  , 2008-10  (2) 
			  2008 2009 2010 
			 London 260 345 234 
			 England and Wales 2,824 3,002 2,098 
			 (1) Includes both Metropolitan police force area and City of London. (2) Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used. Source: Justice Statistics Analytical Services—Ministry of Justice

Asylum: Commonwealth

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  how many people from the Commonwealth were granted asylum on political grounds in each of the last 10 years;
	(2)  how many people from the Commonwealth were granted asylum on the grounds of being a victim of torture in each of the last 10 years.

Damian Green: While United Kingdom Borders Agency (UKBA) holds information on the grounds for an asylum claim, this is not centrally recorded and to provide this information would require a manual case by case search at disproportionate cost.

British Nationals Abroad: Homicide

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment she has made of the effects of (a) the closure of the National Policing Improvement Agency and (b) other changes to the organisation of policing on her Department's ability to respond effectively to deaths of UK citizens abroad.

Nick Herbert: Work to decide on the future of the functions of the National Policing Improvement Agency (NPIA) has been undertaken in close consultation with the police service. The Home Office will make an announcement regarding the future of NPIA functions shortly. We continue to assess the impact of all policing reforms on public safety and are confident that the policing reforms taken as a whole will not reduce our ability to respond effectively to deaths of UK citizens abroad.

Civil Disorder

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment she has made of the damage caused to the London borough of Havering by recent civil disorder.

Nick Herbert: No assessment has been made by the Home Office of the damage caused in the London borough of Havering in light of the civil disorder in August 2011. Under the Riot Damages Act 1886, a police authority in England and Wales is liable to pay for damages to buildings and their contents when a riot has occurred. The responsibility to assess damages and compensation claims therefore rests with the police authority.

Criminal Records Bureau: Government Procurement Card

Charlie Elphicke: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the (a) date of purchase, (b) amount, (c) supplier and (d) level 3 or enhanced transaction entry was of each transaction undertaken by the Criminal Records Bureau using the Government Procurement Card in (i) 2007-08, (ii) 2008-09 and (iii) 2009-10.

Lynne Featherstone: Details of Government Procurement Card transactions undertaken by the Criminal Records Bureau in 2007-08, 2008-09 and 2009-10 can be obtained only at disproportionate cost due to manually redacting sensitive information.

Departmental Contracts

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many contracts her Department holds with (a) Blue Light Global Solutions, (b) Capita, (c) Co sponsor and (d) Steria.

Damian Green: The Home Department including its executive agencies has no recorded contracts with (a) Blue Light Global Solutions or (c) Co sponsor. The Department holds one contract each with (b) Capita and (d) Steria.

Departmental Press Releases

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many press releases her Department has issued in the last 12 months.

Damian Green: The Home Office has issued 570 press releases in the last 12 months (12 October 2010-12 October 2011).

Departmental Procurement

Gordon Henderson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate she has made of the cost of employing civil servants to undertake procurement for her Department in (a) 2008-09, (b) 2009-10 and (c) 2010-11; and what estimate she has made of the cost of (i) employing civil servants and (ii) engaging consultants to undertake procurement for her Department in 2011-12.

Damian Green: The cost of employing civil servants to undertake procurement in the Home Department including its executive agencies is provided in the following table:
	
		
			 Financial year £ 
			 2008-09 10,936,608 
			 2009-10 13,006,559 
			 2010-11 13,645,972 
			 2011-12 12,838,698 
		
	
	Procurement staff has been interpreted to include contract managers engaged within procurement units.
	The estimated cost of engaging consultants to undertake procurement for the Department in 2011-12 is £1,033,000.

Departmental Training

Eilidh Whiteford: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many external training courses staff of her Department attended in the last 12 months; and what the cost to the public purse was of each course.

Damian Green: The information requested is not held centrally and would be available only at disproportionate cost.

Deportation

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people have been deported to each country in each month since May 2010.

Damian Green: Given the size of the table, listing every country, I have placed a copy of the table, showing the monthly number of removals and voluntary departures from the United Kingdom, by country of destination between May 2010 and June 2011 in the Library of the House.
	Data for July 2011 onwards are not yet available, but quarterly data for July to September 2011 will be published as part of the regular Home Office publication scheme on 24 November.
	The Home Office publishes quarterly and annual statistics on the number of persons removed or departed voluntarily from the UK within immigration statistics. The data on removals and voluntary departures are available in tables rv.01 to rv.08 from the Library of the House and from the Home Office science, research and statistics webpages at:
	http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/science-research/research-statistics/migration/migration-statistics1/

Entry Clearances

Shabana Mahmood: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether she is taking steps to ensure that Tier 2 visas remain accessible for the duration of a given year after the introduction of an annual quota.

Damian Green: The annual limit is divided into monthly allocations to ensure that places are available throughout the year.

Entry Clearances

Shabana Mahmood: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps she is taking to minimise the cost to small specialist colleges of applying for Tier 4 accreditation.

Damian Green: The Government are implementing a system of more rigorous inspection of those privately funded institutions that sponsor international students, carried out by independent bodies that already inspect the sectors with the highest levels of compliance. The fees charged reflect the costs of conducting a thorough and robust inspection, by an experienced specialist, of the quality of educational outcomes and provision. There are different levels of fees based on the size of the institution.

Entry Clearances: Birmingham

Shabana Mahmood: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) Tier 1 and (b) Tier 2 visas were awarded to applicants resident in the Birmingham Ladywood constituency in the last 12 months.

Damian Green: The number of Tier 1 and Tier 2 applications granted to applicants currently residing in the Birmingham Ladywood constituency from 1 October 2010 to 30 September 2011 is as follows:
	Tier 1: 4,958
	Tier 2: 1,371
	All figures quoted are internal management information only and are subject to change. This information has not been quality assured under National Statistics protocols.

Entry Clearances: Overseas Students

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department to which accreditation inspection body education academies in Northern Ireland apply in order to enrol international students for long-term courses of more than six months.

Damian Green: The Government are implementing a system of more rigorous inspection of those privately funded institutions that sponsor international students, carried out by independent bodies that already inspect the sectors with the highest levels of compliance. My officials are in discussion with the body with responsibility for the inspection of publicly funded education in Northern Ireland, the Education and Training Inspectorate, and will confirm shortly whether they will inspect privately funded providers in Northern Ireland. If they do not wish to do so, we shall invite the Independent Schools Inspectorate to extend their activity in respect of international students to cover providers in Northern Ireland.

Firearms

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) legal and (b) illegal firearms have been seized by the police in each year since 1997.

Nick Herbert: The information requested is not collected centrally by the Home Office.

Foreign Workers: EU Nationals

John Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 29 June 2011, Official Report, column 861W, on foreign workers: EU nationals, when she expects to receive a report from the Migration Advisory Committee on restrictions on Bulgarian and Romanian nationals.

Damian Green: I have asked the Migration Advisory Committee to report on this issue by the end of October.

Humberside Police

Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what funding arrangements exist between the Humberside police and East Riding of Yorkshire council; what arrangements are in place to enable the local authority to have influence over policing decisions; and if she will make a statement.

Nick Herbert: holding answer 14 September 2011
	Funding for community safety will remain with local authorities until police and crime commissioners are in place in 2012. Transitional arrangements for 2012-13 are being finalised. Local authorities will have a representative on the police and crime panels that will act as a key check and balance on police and crime commissioners.

Immigration

David Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps she is taking to ensure that those who are refused leave to remain in the UK are removed promptly.

Damian Green: Individuals who have been refused leave to remain in the UK are expected to leave the country. The United Kingdom Border Agency (UKBA) take active steps to promote voluntary return and assisted voluntary return and Refugee Action are also engaged by UKBA to increase the number of people taking up this option.
	Where an individual chooses not to leave voluntarily, the UK Border Agency will continue to detain and enforce their removal at the earliest opportunity.
	Should cases be delayed, for example, by further legal challenges, arranging re-documentation or consideration of extenuating circumstances, the agency actively progresses cases towards conclusion.

Immigration Controls

Shabana Mahmood: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress has been made on smart zones for processing pre-checked low-risk passengers at certain ports and airports.

Damian Green: The UK Border Agency is currently developing a number of new initiatives as part of a wider review of operating processes at ports, which make most effective and efficient use of technology and of our people.
	Smart Zones are one part of this and operate by using information gathered through the e-Borders system to conduct enhanced watch list checks in advance of arrival. Passengers are then directed through a designated "Smart Zone" where the appropriate level of checks can be made on arrival. This has the potential to remove duplication of detailed checks at the border, thereby improving the passenger experience while simultaneously maintaining border security.
	Smart Zone trials have taken place at Luton, Calais (coaches), Birmingham, Leeds/Bradford and Gatwick South.
	The UK Border Agency is now engaging with port operators and carriers to design port specific solutions which enhance border security and represent best value for the taxpayer.

Internet: Offensive Material

Brian H Donohoe: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  what steps her Department is taking to tackle UK-based websites which promote (a) racism, (b) sectarianism and (c) bigotry; and if she will make a statement;
	(2)  if she will discuss with the Minister for Women and Equalities action against UK-based websites which encourage (a) religious conflict, (b) racism and (c) bigotry; and if she will make a statement.

Lynne Featherstone: holding answer 12 October 2011
	We are clear that hatred and prejudice have no place in our society. Tackling hate crime is an issue that the Government take very seriously. We have a number of laws in place which make it a criminal offence to use threatening words or behaviour and or to display, publish or distribute any written material with intent to stir up hatred on the grounds of race, religion or sexual orientation. These laws apply equally to online material and our courts have convicted offenders for such offences.
	We recognise however, there is also online content that, while not illegal, is considered to be either harmful or offensive. Such content raises issues which require a considered approach that balances freedom of expression with necessary and proportionate protections. We continue to work across Government and with industry representatives to seek practical solutions in responding adequately to offensive and criminal online material.

Knives

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many knives have been recovered by the police in each year since 1997.

Nick Herbert: The information requested is not collected centrally by the Home Office.

Knives: Crime

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many recorded crimes involved the use of a knife in each year since 1997.

Nick Herbert: Data for selected offences involving the use of a knife or sharp instrument have been collected by the Home Office since April 2007. From these data, it is not possible to identify which offences specifically involved the use of a knife.
	In 2007-08, police forces in England and Wales recorded 25,548 offences involving a knife or sharp instrument for a select group of offences. These offences were: homicide, attempted murder, grievous bodily harm (GBH) with intent, GBH without intent and robbery.
	In 2008-09, the offence coverage was expanded to also include actual bodily harm (ABH), threats to kill, sexual assault and rape offences. Therefore figures are not comparable with those offences recorded in 2007-08. In 2008-09, police forces in England and Wales recorded 36,347 offences involving a knife or sharp instrument. The corresponding figure for 2009-10 was 33,774 offences.
	A 2009 audit of how bottle and glass offences were recorded in the knife and sharp instrument data collection identified that some forces were including unbroken bottle and glass offences in their returns, which should have been outside the scope of this collection. The 2008-09 and 2009-10 data above include these offences for four police forces. One of these forces, West Midlands police, subsequently changed its recording practice in April 2010 and now excludes these offences. As such, data for England and Wales for 2010-11 are not comparable to those for 2008-09 and 2009-10. In 2010-11; police forces in England and Wales recorded 32,714 offences involving a knife or a sharp instrument.
	Comparable figures for 2008-09 to 2010-11 can be obtained only by excluding West Midlands from the total. On this basis, total figures for offences involving a knife or a sharp instrument in England and Wales (excluding West Midlands) are as follows: 2008-09—32,641 offences, 2009-10—30,549 offences and 2010-11—29,696 offences.
	Further information on homicides involving the use of a knife or sharp instrument can be found in 'Homicides Firearm Offences and Intimate Violence 2009-10' at the following link:
	http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk

Offensive Weapons: Seized Articles

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) illegal and (b) air weapons have been seized by police in each year since 1997.

Nick Herbert: The information requested is not collected centrally by the Home Office.

Passports: Forgery

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many forged passports have been seized in each year since 1997.

Damian Green: The following table details the detections of false passports encountered by the Immigration and Nationality Directorate of the Home Office (before 31 March 2007), the Border and Immigration Agency (between 1 April 2007 and 31 March 2008) and the UK Border Agency (since 1 April 2008).
	
		
			  Number of detections 
			 1997 4,411 
			 1998 6,338 
			 1999 5,516 
			 2000 5,394 
			 2001 7,320 
			 2002 10,125 
			 2003 9,546 
			 2004 10,620 
			 2005 7,712 
			 2006 7,354 
			 2007 6,939 
			 2008 5,960 
		
	
	
		
			 2009 4,545 
			 2010 3,872 
		
	
	Figures from 1997 to 2000 inclusive represent detections at the border only. Those from 2001 to 2010 inclusive detail detections at the border and those made in country by caseworking offices and enforcement officers. They do not include the numbers of inadequately documented passengers denied boarding by commercial carriers overseas working in conjunction with UK Immigration Liaison Officers and Managers (formerly Airline Liaison Officers) from the Risk and Liaison Overseas Network. Some of these passengers will have held false documents but precise figures for the numbers denied boarding for this reason are unavailable.

Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment she has made of the operation of section 153 of the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011; and if she will make a statement. [R]

Crispin Blunt: I have been asked to reply.
	Section 153 of the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011, which came into force on 15 September 2011, requires the consent of the Director of Public Prosecutions to be given before an arrest warrant can be issued in a private prosecution for offences of universal jurisdiction. These are offences—including certain war crimes, torture, and hostage-taking—which can be prosecuted here even if committed outside the UK by someone who is not a British national. The Director of Public Prosecutions is well aware that speed is important in dealing with applications of this kind, and he has made clear that it is open to anyone who wants to pursue a crime of universal jurisdiction to engage with the CPS as early as possible.

Police: Obesity

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate she has made of the number of police officers who are classified as obese.

Nick Herbert: The requested information is not collected centrally.

Police: Termination of Employment

David Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) police officers and (b) police civilian staff have (i) been subject to disciplinary action and (ii) had their employment terminated due to breaches of protocol relating to Police National Computer checks in each of the last five years.

Nick Herbert: The Home Office does not hold this information. Individual police forces or their police authorities hold this information.

Polygamy

Philip Hollobone: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether her Department has amended its guidelines for immigration officers which instruct them to allow polygamous families to live in the UK even if that sets up a polygamous marriage in the UK since her appointment.

Damian Green: holding answer 12 October 2011
	Guidance to UK Border Agency staff has not been amended on this issue since this Government came into power.
	It has been the policy of successive governments to prevent the formation .of polygamous households in this country. Section 2 of the Immigration Act 1988 and paragraphs 278 and 279 of the Immigration Rules (HC 395) are intended to achieve this policy.

Serious Organised Crime Agency: Government Procurement Card

Charlie Elphicke: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the (a) date of purchase, (b) amount, (c) supplier and (d) level 3 or enhanced transaction entry was of each transaction undertaken by the Serious Organised Crime Agency using the Government Procurement Card in (i) 2007-08, (ii) 2008-09 and (iii) 2009-10.

Nick Herbert: The Serious Organised Crime Agency did not use Government Procurement Cards during (i) 2007-08, (ii) 2008-09, and (iii) 2009-10.

UK Border Agency: Patrol Craft

Eilidh Whiteford: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether she plans to review the number of vessels used by the UK Border Agency for coastline patrols.

Damian Green: The UK Border Agency operates five offshore patrol vessels, known as cutters, to police the UK coast, territorial waters and adjacent seas to disrupt the trafficking of prohibited goods and illegal immigration. Departmental spending across the whole of government remains under close scrutiny and this encompasses all areas of the UK Border Agency including its maritime operations.

UK Border Agency: Patrol Craft

Eilidh Whiteford: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the cost to the public purse was of coastline patrols by the UK Border Agency in 2010-11.

Damian Green: The UK Border Agency's expenditure for the cutter operations in 2010-11 was £14.583 million.

UK Border Agency: Patrol Craft

Eilidh Whiteford: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many arrests were made following coastline patrols by the UK Border Agency in 2010-11.

Damian Green: The UK Border Agency's cutters routinely work in partnership with other law enforcement agencies both in the UK and overseas. In the majority of cases, it is other law enforcement agencies which carry out arrests in relation to operations in which the cutters are involved. Four arrests have been made by cutter crew.

UK Border Agency: Patrol Craft

Eilidh Whiteford: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what illegal goods were seized by the UK Border Agency as a result of coastline patrols in 2010-11; and what the monetary value was of such goods.

Damian Green: From the start of 2010 until the end of September 2011 UK Border Agency cutters have been involved in the seizure of approximately 5.5 tonnes of controlled drugs, approximately 980,000 smuggled cigarettes, 770 litres of smuggled spirits and have referred approximately 400 immigration issues for further inquiry. The estimated street level value of the drugs sized is in the region of £300 million and the estimated revenue protected through the seizure of smuggled excise goods is in the region of £300,000.

UK Border Agency: Patrol Craft

Eilidh Whiteford: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many vessels the UK Border Agency uses to patrol the Scottish coastline; and how many staff are employed to crew such vessels.

Damian Green: The UK Border Agency's cutters are deployed flexibly to meet risk and in response to intelligence and are therefore not based in particular locations. Allocated patrol sectors are such that two of the five cutters have work areas which include the waters off the Scottish coast. Each cutter has a crew of 12 UK Border Agency officers.

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

Arrest Warrants

Andrew Love: To ask the Attorney-General what discussions he has had with the Director of Public Prosecutions on (a) the visit to the UK in October 2011 of the Leader of the Opposition in Israel and (b) the potential issue of an arrest warrant on his arrival; and if he will make a statement.

Dominic Grieve: During the afternoon of 4 October 2011, an application was made to the Director of Public Prosecutions, Keir Starmer, QC, to exercise his consent pursuant to section 153 of the Police and Social Responsibility Act 2011, for a private prosecutor to apply for a warrant to arrest Ms Tzipi Livni, the former Foreign Secretary in Israel for alleged offences relating to grave breaches of the Fourth Geneva convention in relation to military action in Gaza in December 2008.
	I had no discussions with the director in respect of Ms Livni’s visit in advance of the visit taking place. I was consulted by him in the evening of 5 October. It is normal practice for the director to consult with the Attorney-General in cases of particular sensitivity and was necessary in this case as the offence for which arrest was sought was one that required the consent of the Attorney-General for it to proceed to trial. The decision remained that of the director.

Departmental Legal Opinion

Angela Smith: To ask the Attorney-General what the average hourly rate paid to external (a) solicitors and (b) barristers engaged by the Law Officers' Departments was in 2010-11; what guidance the Law Officers' Departments use in commissioning external legal advice; and if he will publish (i) the names of each external (A) solicitor and (B) barrister engaged by the Law Officer's Departments in 2010-11 and (ii) the sums paid in each case.

Dominic Grieve: The information requested is as follows:
	Treasury Solicitor's Department Attorney General's Office and HM Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate
	The Treasury Solicitor's Department (including also for these purposes the Attorney-General's Office and HM Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate) does not keep records of the average hourly rates paid to all external solicitors and counsel. We are, however, able to offer the following information.
	Hourly Rates
	(a) The hourly rates paid to the solicitors who are part of the Litigation Catalogue are shown in the following table. The table shows the range of hourly rates for each level of experience across all regions and all areas of work.
	
		
			 Level of experience Hourly rate (£) 
			 Partner 55-235 
			 Senior solicitor 55-215 
			 Junior solicitor 50-165 
			 Trainee solicitor/paralegal 40-153 
		
	
	The Department is expected to use solicitors from the Litigation Catalogue wherever possible. The use of solicitors from outside the framework is only permitted where there are no suitable solicitors available from the Litigation Catalogue. Government procurement procedures should be followed when engaging solicitors from outside of the Litigation Catalogue framework.
	(b) The hourly rates for advocates on the Attorney-General's Panels of Counsel who are approved to undertake government work are shown in the following table. The panel system is supplemented by the retention of two First Treasury Counsel to advise and represent government in particularly complex and sensitive matters. Their hourly rate is also shown in the following table.
	
		
			 Level of experience Hourly rate (£) 
			 Panel A (over 10 years) 120 
			 Panel B (between 5 and 10 years) 100 
			 Panel C (between 2 and 5 years) (1)60 
			  (2)80 
			 Regional Panel (1)60 
			  (3)90 
			  (4)110 
			 First Treasury Counsel 220 
			 (1 )If under five years' experience. (2 )If over five years' experience. (3) Five to 10 years' experience. (4) Over 10 years' experience. 
		
	
	The Department is required to seek the Attorney-General's nomination in any case in which it wishes to choose advocates who are not on the panel (for example, to use leading counsel). Fees in these cases are individually set but the nomination process ensures that a strong business case must be made for the engagement of higher charging counsel.
	Use of external barristers and solicitors
	A list of the external barristers and solicitors who have undertaken work for the Treasury Solicitor's Department and the Attorney-General's Office in 2010-11 has been placed in the Library of the House. Except where otherwise shown the amount paid was less than £25,000. This list does not include those barristers and solicitors engaged to provide legal services to other Government Departments, as they are engaged on behalf of those other Departments, which pay the relevant costs.
	The Serious Fraud Office
	The Serious Fraud Office (SFO) pays the following for external counsel
	
		
			 £ 
			 Counsel type Hourly rate Half-  day rate Full-  day rate 
			 QC (more than five years’ seniority) 185.00 325.00 650.00 
			 QC (less than five years’ seniority) 165.00 275.00 550.00 
			 Panel A (more than 10 years’ seniority) 105.00 185.00 370.00 
			 Panel B (between five and 10 years’ seniority) 85.00 145.00 290.00 
			 Panel C (between one and five years’ seniority) 75.00 125.00 250.00 
			 Disclosure 55.00 125.00 250.00 
		
	
	The SFO has issued guidance and instructions on all aspects of engaging counsel to SFO staff. This includes directions on the appropriateness of half-day, day or hourly rates.
	The SFO permanently publishes details of QCs and Counsel who have been appointed to be on a selection list by open competition:
	http://www.sfo.gov.uk/about-us/what-we-do-and-who-we-work-with/counsel.aspx
	The SFO operates a three panel system for junior counsel, categorising them according to the number of years they have been practising. Appointment to the list was by open competition.
	The SFO regularly publishes Counsel expenditure that exceeds £25,000 in accordance with the agreements made in 2010 relating to the Government commitment to greater transparency. This data can be found at:
	http://data.gov.uk/dataset/financial-transactions-data-serious-fraud-office
	The Crown Prosecution Service
	The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) remunerates self-employed advocates according to established fee scheme arrangements. Unless otherwise stated, the fee schemes apply equally to solicitors and barristers.
	In respect of Crown court advocacy the CPS uses two fee schemes: a graduated fee scheme (GFS) for cases due to last up to 40 days at trial; and a very high cost case (VHCC) scheme for cases due to last 40 days or more.
	GFS provides advocates with a fee based on a formula taking into account the offence type, advocate type, case outcome, length of trial, pages of prosecution evidence and number of witnesses. GFS does not provide hourly rate remuneration for the main hearing fee but there are some limited aspects of the scheme where remuneration is based on hours worked.
	In respect of special preparation, wasted preparation (payments to counsel for preparation when they cannot continue with a case for a good reason, such as if they are appointed to the judiciary) and conference time the GFS hourly rates are:
	
		
			  £ per hour 
			 Queen's Counsel 62.50 
			 Leading Junior 47.00 
			 Junior alone 33.50 
		
	
	The VHCC scheme provides hourly rate remuneration for the advocate. VHCC casework is assigned to one of three categories, defined by set criteria.
	The criteria, in broad terms, provides for the following three categories:
	Category 1: Terrorism cases.
	Category 2: Offences with a maximum sentence of 30 years and there are over 10,000 pages of served evidence.
	Category 3: All other VHCCs.
	The hourly rates are:
	
		
			 Counsel Category 1 Category 2 Category 3 
			 QC 180 140 110 
			 Leading junior 140 110 90 
			 Led junior 100 80 70 
			 Junior alone 110 90 80 
			 Second led junior* 90 70 60 
			 Second led junior 70 55 50 
		
	
	The CPS also engages barristers and solicitors to undertake magistrates courts advocacy as agents on a sessional basis. Agent prosecutors are paid £125 for a half-day session or £200 for a full-day session. Higher daily rates are payable for “special fee” trials where exceptional preparation is required.
	In-house CPS lawyers provide the vast majority of policy and casework related advice. However, if advice is required on a specialist area of law or policy then external legal advice can be commissioned. The decision to commission external advice is taken on a case-by-case basis and is not subject to written criteria.
	The CPS engages solicitors firms to act in a range of civil matters including employment tribunal cases, contract negotiations and advice and land and property advice. During 2010-11 costs associated with these engagements were approximately £1.5 million.
	The table detailing all of the barristers and solicitors who received payment for legal services in respect of Crown court and Higher Court casework and civil matters in 2010-11 has been placed in the Library of the House. It is not possible to state the precise total sum paid to each individual without checking the accuracy of the totals with the individuals concerned. To make these checks across over 4,000 individuals and solicitors firms would incur disproportionate cost.
	However, since April 2010 details of payments made by the CPS to external barristers and solicitors in 2010-11 where the value of individual payments exceeded £25,000 are already published by the CPS on a monthly basis as part of the Government's transparency agenda. These can be found on the data.gov website at:
	http://data.gov.uk/dataset/financial-transactions-data-ago-cps

Departmental Procurement

Julian Smith: To ask the Attorney-General what progress the Law Officers' Departments have made in eliminating pre-qualification questionnaires for procurements with a value of under £100,000.

Edward Garnier: Following the announcement of the Government's intention to eliminate such pre-qualification questionnaires, the Treasury Solicitor's Department, Attorney-General's Office and HM Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate have not issued any low value procurement exercises with the requirement for the completion of a pre-qualification questionnaire.
	In cases where the Law Officers’ Departments have a procurement requirement for goods and services below £100,000 and where there is not a suitable pan-Government framework agreement in place, the Department tenders for the contract using the Government's ‘Contracts Finder’ website under an ‘open’ procedure. The open procedure does not involve the use of pre-qualification questionnaires.
	Using an existing pan-Government framework contract means that suppliers on the framework will have already met any requisite pre-qualification requirements.

Departmental Public Expenditure

David Simpson: To ask the Attorney-General how much the Law Officers’ Departments spent on new furnishings in the last year.

Dominic Grieve: Expenditure by the Law Officers’ Departments on new furnishings during the last financial year is outlined in the following table.
	
		
			 Recorded spend on new furnishings, financial year 2010-11 
			 Department £ 
			 Crown Prosecution Service 1,538,722 
			 Treasury Solicitor’s Department(1) (2)33,000 
			 Serious Fraud Office 0 
			 (1) The Treasury Solicitor’s data also covers expenditure for the Attorney-General’s Office and HM Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate. (2) The figure provided is the recorded expenditure on furniture, fixtures and fittings. It is not possible to separate spend on furniture from fixtures and fittings.

Government Procurement Card

Charlie Elphicke: To ask the Attorney-General what the (a) date of purchase, (b) amount, (c) supplier and (d) level 3 or enhanced transaction entry was of each transaction undertaken by the Serious Fraud Office using the Government Procurement Card in (i) 2007-08, (ii) 2008-09 and (iii) 2009-10.

Dominic Grieve: Reports detailing individual Government Procurement Card transactions undertaken by the Serious Fraud Office for the years 2009, 2010 and up to July 2011 are available on the SFO website at:
	http://www.sfo.gov.uk/media/179831/2011-55.doc
	Details of transactions prior to these dates could be provided only at a disproportionate cost.
	The Department does not hold level 3 or enhanced transaction entry data centrally for individual transactions.

Hillsborough Stadium

Steve Rotheram: To ask the Attorney-General 
	(1)  what discussions he has had with the Prime Minister on the unredacted release of the Hillsborough Cabinet minutes since his appointment;
	(2)  when he last met the Deputy Prime Minister to discuss the release of unredacted government files relating to the 1989 Hillsborough disaster.

Dominic Grieve: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to him on this matter by the Secretary of State for the Home Department, my right hon. Friend the Member for Maidenhead (Mrs May), on 13 October 2011, Official Report, column 506W.

Polygamy

Philip Hollobone: To ask the Attorney-General how many cases of polygamy have been (a) successfully and (b) unsuccessfully prosecuted by the Crown Prosecution Service in each of the last three years.

Dominic Grieve: Polygamy is not recognised as a specific offence by the criminal law. The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) does not maintain a record of the number of defendants charged with or convicted of bigamy rather than polygamy (which is a specific offence under the criminal law in England and Wales). This information is held on individual case files, and may be retrieved only by locating and examining every relevant file in each CPS office in England and Wales, which would incur a disproportionate cost
	The CPS central records show the number of offences of bigamy charged under section 57 of the Offences Against the Person Act 1861 and in respect of which a prosecution was commenced in magistrates courts. The figures for the last three years are contained in the following table:
	
		
			 Offences charged   and reaching a first hearing in magistrates courts 
			   2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 
			 Offences Against the Person Act 1861 (57) Bigamy 22 29 43 
			 Notes: 1. Offences recorded in the MIS Offences Universe are those which reached a hearing. There is no indication of final outcome or if the charged offence was the substantive charge at finalisation. 2. Data relate to the number of offences recorded in magistrates courts, in which a prosecution commenced, as recorded on the CMS. 3. Offences data are not held by defendant or outcome. 4. Offences recorded in the Offences Universe of the MIS are those which were charged at any time and reached at least one hearing. This offence will remain recorded whether or not that offence was proceeded with and there is no indication of final outcome or if the offence charged was the substantive offence at finalisation. 5. CPS data are available through its Case Management System (CMS) and associated Management Information System (MIS). The CPS collects data to assist in the effective management of its prosecution functions. The CPS does not collect data which constitute official statistics as defined in the Statistics and Registration Service Act 2007. These data have been drawn from the CPS's administrative IT system, which, as with any large scale recording system, is subject to possible errors with data entry and processing. The figures are provisional and subject to change as more information is recorded by the CPS. 6. The official statistics relating to crime and policing are maintained by the Home Office and the official statistics relating to sentencing, criminal court proceedings, offenders brought to justice, the courts and the judiciary are maintained by the Ministry of Justice.

Racial and Religious Hatred Act 2006

Cathy Jamieson: To ask the Attorney-General how many people have been (a) charged and (b) convicted under the provisions of the Racial and Religious Hatred Act 2006.

Dominic Grieve: holding answer 13 October 2011
	The provisions of the Racial and Religious Hatred Act 2006 amended section 29 of the Public Order Act 1986 to create offences of stirring up hatred against persons on religious grounds.
	All prosecutions for offences under section 29 of the Public Order Act as amended by the Racial and Religious Hatred Act 2006 are conducted by the Crown Prosecution Service’s special crime and counter-terrorism division. Figures held by them for the last three years are summarised in the following table and refer to the year in which the prosecution was commenced.
	
		
			  Number charged Convictions 
			 2008-09 0 0 
			 2009-10 1 0 
			 2010-11 3 1

JUSTICE

Public Bodies

Andy Slaughter: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice if he will place in the Library a copy of each response to his Department's consultation on the public bodies included in the provisions of the Public Bodies Bill immediately following the closure of the consultation.

Jonathan Djanogly: The Ministry of Justice consultation on reforms proposed in the Public Bodies Bill closed on 11 October. The Department intends to publish its response to the consultation by the end of this year. As required by the Government's Code of Practice on Consultation, the consultation response will provide a summary of who responded to the consultation exercise and a summary of the views expressed in response to each question.
	In addition, section 11 of the Public Bodies Bill requires a summary of representations received in the consultation to be contained within the explanatory document that must accompany each Order laid by Ministers when using the powers provided by the Bill.
	Details of the consultation can be found on the Ministry of Justice website at:
	http://www.justice.gov.uk/consultations/reform-public-bodies.htm

Administration of Justice: Ex-servicemen

Ian Davidson: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice whether staff working in (a) prisons, (b) probation services and (c) the courts receive mandatory training on working with former soldiers.

Crispin Blunt: Prison, probation and courts staff are trained to work effectively with offenders from all backgrounds. There is no specific mandatory training concerned with working with former soldiers.
	Within the National Offender Management Service (NOMS), The Working With Veterans In Custody guidance, which was published in February 2010, provides staff with information and offers links to sources of support available to veteran offenders. This guide is currently being updated to include information for staff working with offenders in the community.
	All staff working within Her Majesty's Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS) receive mandatory customer service training as part of their induction which includes material on how customers should be dealt with regardless of their background.

Civil Disorder

Paul Maynard: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice for how many and what proportion of cases involving under-18-year-olds imprisoned on remand as a result of public disorder in August 2011 was a bail package not presented to the court.

Crispin Blunt: The information requested is not available as central data systems do not record this. However, youth offending teams should, as a matter of course, always provide a bail package to the court which will enable the child to be remanded on bail in cases where there is a risk that bail may be refused. Bail packages are an alternative to secure remand and ensure that the young person receives the necessary support in a community setting.

Civil Disorder

Paul Maynard: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many under-18-year-olds convicted of an offence following the public disorder in August 2011 were remanded into custody without a youth offending team officer being present in court.

Crispin Blunt: The information requested is not available as it is not recorded centrally. National Standards for Youth Justice Services require youth offending teams to attend court when any under-18 is being considered for bail or remand including at weekends.

Civil Disorder

Paul Maynard: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what proportion of people aged under-18 years who were imprisoned on remand in connection with the public disorder of August 2011 had legal representation in court.

Crispin Blunt: The information requested is not available as it is not recorded centrally. All under-18s are entitled lo legal representation in court through the legal aid scheme if they pass the “interests of justice” test. All defendants, including under-18s in the Crown court are automatically deemed to pass the interests of justice test and, in practice, the majority of under-18s appearing before the youth or magistrates court do pass this test. For the purposes of legal representation, under-18s appearing before all criminal courts are automatically deemed to pass the means test.

Civil Disorder

Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many of those arrested for offences connected with the recent public disorder had previously served a sentence of imprisonment under 12 months.

Crispin Blunt: The latest published information on the criminal history of individuals appearing before the courts in relation to the public disorder of 6 to 9 August 2011 showed that 26% had at least one previous immediate custodial sentence. When looking only at sentences of less than 12 months, 22% had previously been sentenced to at least one immediate custodial sentence of less than 12 months.
	Data on the criminal history of those arrested but not appearing before the courts is not available.
	More detail on the criminal history of individuals appearing before the court in relation to the public disorder can be found at:
	http://www.justice.gov.uk/publications/statistics-and-data/criminal-justice/public-disorder-august-11.htm
	and updated statistics will be published on 24 October 2011.
	As with any large scale recording system the Police National Computer is subject to possible errors with data entry and processing. The figures are provisional and subject to change as more information is recorded by the police.

Civil Disorder

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  pursuant to the answer of 14 September 2011, Official Report, column 1215W, on civil disorder: compensation, for what reasons details of the compensation orders issued were not included in the statistics disclosed; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  how many compensation orders were issued by courts (a) in and (b) outside London in relation to public disorder in August 2011; and what the total monetary value was of such compensation orders.

Crispin Blunt: The information published on 15 September was compiled from statistics on offenders brought before the courts for offences related to the public disorder and reported to Justice Statistics Analytical Services by midday 12 September. However, following a finding of guilt, the sentencing data reported does not go down to the level whereby defendants have also been ordered to pay compensation to their victims.
	A further publication is planned for the last week of October which will cover wider socioeconomic and demographic characteristics, including ethnicity information, but will not include compensation orders.
	Detail beyond the primary sentence is not available in the data being reported by the courts.

Community Orders: Drugs

Linda Riordan: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many people were found to be in possession of drugs on unpaid work sites between 1 April 2010 and 31 March 2011.

Crispin Blunt: The National Offender Management Service maintains a record of incidents which occur on unpaid work sites. This data is not able to identify incidents which may have involved the illegal possession of drugs. If an offender was suspected of being in possession of drugs while undertaking unpaid work the police would be asked to attend the work site.

Compensation

William Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice if he will assess the effects of the proposed abolition of success fees and non-recoverability of after-the-event insurance premiums on the ability of claimant law firms to take on human rights litigation against multinational companies based in the UK.

Jonathan Djanogly: I should clarify that claims can be brought in England and Wales alleging corporate harm in foreign jurisdictions. These are claims for damages in tort or contract, rather than claims under the Human Rights Act or European convention on human rights.
	Overseas victims of alleged corporate harm by UK multinational companies are currently able to bring civil claims in the UK where appropriate, and this will continue to be the case following implementation of our reforms to civil litigation funding and costs. Conditional fees agreements (CFAs) will continue, although any success fee will no longer be recoverable from the losing party. We are also proposing to allow damage-based agreements (DBAs) in civil litigation. CFAs and DBAs will be available for claims for corporate harm. DBAs may be particularly suitable for such claims since legal representatives may recover their fees as a percentage of the damages awarded to each successful claimant.
	The Government have published a final impact assessment alongside the Government response paper 'Reforming Civil Litigation Funding and Costs in England and Wales—Implementation of Lord Justice Jackson's Recommendations: The Government Response', column 8041, 29 March 2011, available at:
	http://www.justice.gov.uk/consultations/jackson-review.htm
	This impact assessment identifies potential impacts on individuals, groups and businesses.

Coroners

James Wharton: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the composition will be of the proposed Ministerial Board to oversee non-judicial aspects of the services provided by coroners.

Jonathan Djanogly: The full composition of the Ministerial Board has yet to be finalised. It is likely to include representatives of those responsible for delivering coroner services, independent members and representatives of the new Bereaved Organisations Committee that will support the board.

Courts: Expenditure

Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the level was of capital expenditure on magistrates' and Crown courts in (a) 1997-98 and (b) 2010-11; and how much he plans to allocate for these purposes in (i) 2011-12, (ii) 2012-13 and (iii) 2013-14.

Jonathan Djanogly: HMCS was formed on 1 April 2006. Prior to this magistrates courts were the responsibility of local authorities and information relating to capital expenditure is not held centrally. Capital expenditure on Crown courts for 1997-98 is not available.
	In order to offer greater flexibility and improve the efficiency of the HMCTS Estate, there are numerous court buildings which are equipped to handle more than one jurisdiction. Therefore, in cases where there is more than one court located within a building, it is not possible to provide a breakdown of capital expenditure for each court.
	The following table shows the 2010-11 capital expenditure for magistrates courts, Crown courts and combined courts where there is a magistrates or Crown court on site:
	
		
			  2010-11 outturn (£ million) 
			 Magistrates courts 100.1 
			 Crown courts 25.5 
			 Combined courts 14.7 
			  140.4 
		
	
	The following table the latest budgeted HMCTS capital spend for 2011-12:
	
		
			  2011-12 budget (£ million) 
			 Magistrates courts 64.2 
			 Crown Courts 14.1 
			 Combined courts 13.9 
			  92.2 
		
	
	The capital budgets for 2012-13 and 2013-14 have not yet been allocated and therefore it is not possible to provide a breakdown of proposed expenditure.

Departmental Buildings

Eilidh Whiteford: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what (a) building and (b) refurbishment projects his Department plans in the (i) current and (ii) next financial year; and what the cost will be of each such project.

Crispin Blunt: I will write to the hon. Member with the information requested as soon as possible.

Departmental ICT

Jack Dromey: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice whether any (a) Ministers, (b) officials and (c) special advisers in his Department use private e-mail accounts for the conduct of Government business.

Kenneth Clarke: The Ministerial Code, the Code of Conduct for Special Advisers, and the Civil Service Code set out how Ministers, officials and special advisers should conduct Government business.

Departmental Official Hospitality

Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how much his Department spent on hospitality for events hosted by each Minister in his Department in each of the last 12 months.

Kenneth Clarke: The only expenditure incurred for events during this period was by me, as Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice on the following events:
	
		
			  Event Cost (£) 
			 18 October 2010 Lord Mayor Elect ceremony 340.00 
			 21 March 2011 Judiciary and European Court Justice Dinner, hosted by Lord Chancellor and Lord Chief Justice 3,213.97 
			 3 October 2011 Lord Chancellor's breakfast—Opening of the legal year 13,597.80 
			 Total  17,151.77 
		
	
	All hospitality is closely scrutinised and carefully monitored to ensure good value for taxpayers' money and that it stays within the appropriate rules and guidelines.

Departmental Press: Subscriptions

Mike Freer: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how much his Department spent on newspapers, periodicals and trade profession magazines in 2010-11.

Kenneth Clarke: The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) subscribes to many different periodicals and professional magazines (hard copy and online via individual purchase and subscription) for both staff and the judiciary in order to keep up to date with the latest news and thinking in a wide range of professional areas, including law, corporate services and job specific roles.
	Accounting systems for the MoJ, HMCS, Tribunals Service and OPG do not differentiate between soft and hard copy purchases. The same account codes also include some books and it would incur disproportionate costs to tease these separate costs out. The natural account codes for the National Offender Management Service do not differentiate between purchased publications and publications created for their organisation.

Departmental Procurement

Gordon Henderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse of employing civil servants to undertake procurement for his Department in (a) 2008-09, (b) 2009-10 and (c) 2010-11; and what estimate he has made of the cost of (i) employing civil servants and (ii) engaging consultants to undertake procurement for his Department in 2011-12.

Kenneth Clarke: The cost of civil servants to undertake procurement for the Ministry of Justice is detailed in the following table. The cost shown for 2011-12 is a forecast. There are no plans to engage consultants to undertake procurement in 2011-12.
	
		
			 Civil servants—estimated cost 
			  £ 
			 2008-09 8,270,961 
			 2009-10 7,686,376 
			 2010-11 8,815,756 
			 2011-12 10,575,896

Departmental Procurement

Stewart Hosie: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what contracts of a monetary value of (a) between £100,000 and £500,000, (b) between £500,000 and £1 million, (c) between £1 million and £5 million, (d) between £5 million and £10 million, (e) between £10 million and £50 million, (f) between £50 million and £100 million, (g) between £100 million and £500 million, (h) between £500 million and £1 billion, (i) between £1 billion and £5 billion and (j) over £5 billion his Department and its predecessors have entered into with private suppliers in each year since 1990.

Kenneth Clarke: Details of contracts entered into by the Ministry of Justice and its predecessors going back to 1990 are not held centrally. To obtain the information in the format required would necessitate approaching a number of Departments and their agencies. We estimate that to undertake this exercise would be at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Public Expenditure

Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  what savings to the public purse will be realised as a result of contracting out HM Prison (a) Featherstone II, (b) Buckley Hall, (c) Birmingham and (d) Wellingborough in each of the remaining years of the comprehensive spending review period;
	(2)  what estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse of indexation for the contract for running HM Prison (a) Birmingham and (b) Featherstone II in each remaining year of the comprehensive spending review period.

Crispin Blunt: The information is as follows:
	(1) The information requested is provided in the following table. As Featherstone II is a new build prison and therefore currently not in operation, the savings values stated are calculated as the difference between the expected price outlined in the original business case and the price submitted by the successful contractor during competition.
	
		
			 £ 
			  2011-12 2012-13 2013-14 2014-2015 
			 Birmingham 519,179 1,155,053 1,421,814 1,772,822 
			 Buckley Hall 468,061 1,193,044 1,481,891 1,541,229 
			 Featherstone II — 5,396,211 12,718,071 13,046,169 
		
	
	The services commencement date for HMP Featherstone II is April 2012 therefore there are no savings to be reported in 2011-12.
	The Ministry of Justice withdrew HMP Wellingborough from the competition in autumn 2010 therefore this portion of the parliamentary question is not applicable.
	(2) The information requested is provided in the following table.
	
		
			 £ 
			  2011-12 2012-13 2013-14 2014-15 
			 Birmingham     
			 Indexation 0 436,875 1,348,655 2,310,714 
			      
			 Featherstone II     
			 Indexation — 0 657,474 1,345,573 
		
	
	Bids for the prison competition were submitted on a price year one basis and then evaluated on a net present cost basis. Indexation is included in the contract to take account of the inflationary impact upon costs. Elements of the contract are not indexed, staff costs are up-rated in line with the average weekly earnings index, and non-staff costs are up-rated in line with the retail prices index.
	This indexation rate broadly reflects the inflationary pressure on public sector prisons.
	The savings figures quoted for each of the prisons already take account of indexation.
	The services commencement date for HMP Featherstone II is April 2012 therefore there is no cost of indexation until 2013-14.

Departmental Travel

Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how much (a) his Department, (b) the Prison Service bids unit and (c) its other agencies and non-departmental bodies spent on (i) staff, (ii) travel and subsistence and (iii) other costs in respect of the competition to run HM Prison (A) Featherstone II, (B) Buckley Hall, (C) Birmingham and (D) Wellingborough.

Crispin Blunt: I will write to the right hon. Member with details of actual aggregate spending relating to the competitions held for HMP Birmingham, HMP Buckley Hall, HMP Doncaster, HMP Featherstone 2 and HMP Wellingborough, The Ministry of Justice does not hold the requested information for each of the individual competitions for the five establishments.
	Estimated or forecast spending on the prison competitions for HMP Birmingham, HMP Buckley Hall, HMP Doncaster, HMP Featherstone 2 and HMP Wellingborough, together with underpinning caveats and assumptions, is detailed as follows. All costs are given to two significant figures.
	(A) For their contribution to the work on the competitions for the five prisons named above, we forecast that the combined spending of Ministry of Justice Procurement and Ministry of Justice ICT will be:
	(i) £1,070,000 on staff;
	(ii) £0 on travel and subsistence; and
	(iii) £1,600,000 on other costs.
	Operational input to supplier dialogue and evaluation phase have been excluded from this cost model.
	(B) The overall agreed value of the Public Sector Bids Unit/Business Development Unit for prison competitions was £1,100,000.
	An agreed value was used in bidding, as the cost of the Public Sector Bids Unit/Business Development Unit was not identified separately by expenditure or by Public Sector Bids Unit/Business Development Unit itself within the accounts. No local cost tracking was undertaken. Delays in the bidding process added costs to the Public Sector Bids Unit/Business Development Unit, although the work undertaken could not be directly attributed to the above bids.
	Public Sector Bids Unit/Business Development Unit costs for HMP Wellingborough and HMP Doncaster ceased when MoJ Procurement stopped developing the relevant bids. Work on HMP Birmingham and HMP Featherstone 2 stopped when the announcement of contract award for these two prisons was made on 31 March 2011. Some support costs, which have not been quantified, have been incurred in the mobilisation phase at HMP Buckley Hall.
	(C) For their contribution to the work on the competitions for the five prisons named above, we forecast that the combined spending of NOMS Business and Service Development Group, Estates, and NOMS ICT will be:
	(i) £1,300,000 on staff;
	(ii) £70,000 on travel and subsistence; and
	(iii) £700,000 on other costs.
	Operational input to supplier dialogue and evaluation phase have been excluded from this cost model.
	Some teams in NOMS were deployed to these prison competitions from other work, including during evaluation stages in the procurement phase. The Department has not accounted for this potential opportunity cost.

Driving Offences

Grahame Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice pursuant to the answer of 10 October 2011, Official Report, column 163W, on driving offences: speed limits, how many people with 12 points on their driving licence have been given exemptions from a driving ban in (a) the north-east and (b) England in the latest period for which figures are available.

Crispin Blunt: Information held centrally by the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) on the Court Proceedings Database does not contain information about the circumstances behind each case beyond the description provided in the statute under which proceedings are brought. Information is not held on whether drivers incurring or exceeding 12 penalty points were given an exemption from a driving ban.

Drugs: Convictions

Nicola Blackwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice pursuant to the answer of 15 June 2011, Official Report, column 839W, on drugs: convictions, how many of those receiving custodial sentences for each category of offence were (a) first offenders and (b) repeat offenders.

Crispin Blunt: The following table shows, for the year 2007 to 2010, for drug offences that resulted in immediate custodial sentences, the proportion of each category involving offenders with no previous criminal history and the proportion involving offenders with a record of a previous reprimand, warning, caution or conviction.
	These figures have been drawn from the police’s administrative IT system, the police national computer, which, as with any large scale recording system, is subject to possible errors with data entry and processing. The figures presented here are provisional and subject to change as more information is recorded by the police.
	
		
			 Proportion of offenders receiving an immediate custodial sentence for a drug offence who were either first time offenders or repeat offenders, 2007-10, England and Wales 
			  Percentage of offenders receiving an immediate custodial sentence 
			 Drug offence First time offender Repeat offender 
			 2007   
			 Possession: class A 3.0 97.0 
			 Possession: class B 0.0 100.0 
			 Possession: class C 1.5 98.5 
			 Possession: class unspecified (1)— (1)— 
			 Possession: cannabis 2.1 97.9 
			 Possession with intent to supply: class A 11.5 88.5 
			 Possession with intent to supply: class B 6.6 93.4 
			 Possession with intent to supply: class C 6.8 93.2 
			 Possession with intent to supply: class unspecified (1)— (1)— 
			 Possession with intent to supply: cannabis 14.3 85.7 
			 Supply: class A 10.2 89.8 
			 Supply: class B (1)— (1)— 
			 Supply: class C 19.6 80.4 
			 Supply: class unspecified (1)— (1)— 
			 Supply: cannabis 18.2 81.8 
			    
			 2008   
			 Possession: class A 2.1 97.9 
			 Possession: class B 1.6 98.4 
			 Possession: class C 4.2 95.8 
			 Possession: class unspecified (1)— (1)— 
			 Possession: cannabis 2.1 97.9 
			 Possession with intent to supply: class A 11.2 88.8 
			 Possession with intent to supply: class B 3.3 96.7 
			 Possession with intent to supply: class C 11.3 88.7 
		
	
	
		
			 Possession with intent to supply: class unspecified (1)— (1)— 
			 Possession with intent to supply: cannabis 12.0 88.0 
			 Supply: class A 9.6 90.4 
			 Supply: class B 8.8 91.2 
			 Supply: class C 18.6 81.4 
			 Supply: class unspecified (1)— (1)— 
			 Supply: cannabis 16.4 83.6 
			    
			 2009   
			 Possession: class A 1.6 98.4 
			 Possession: class B 2.2 97.8 
			 Possession: class C 8.5 91.5 
			 Possession: class unspecified (1)— (1)— 
			 Possession: cannabis 1.3 98.7 
			 Possession with intent to supply: class A 10.6 89.4 
			 Possession with intent to supply: class B 6.3 93.7 
			 Possession with intent to supply: class C 3.9 96.1 
			 Possession with intent to supply: class unspecified (1)— (1)— 
			 Possession with intent to supply: cannabis 11.4 88.6 
			 Supply: class A 8.3 91.7 
			 Supply: class B 11.7 88.3 
			 Supply: class C 15.3 84.7 
			 Supply: class unspecified (1)— (1)— 
			 Supply: cannabis 16.9 83.1 
			    
			 2010   
			 Possession: class A 1.3 98.7 
			 Possession: class B 0.6 99.4 
			 Possession: class C 0.0 100.0 
			 Possession: class unspecified (1)— (1)— 
			 Possession: cannabis 2.6 97.4 
			 Possession with intent to supply: class A 10.0 90.0 
			 Possession with intent to supply: class B 6.2 93.8 
			 Possession with intent to supply: class C 5.7 94.3 
			 Possession with intent to supply: class unspecified (1)— (1)— 
			 Possession with intent to supply: cannabis 8.8 91.2 
			 Supply: class A 7.9 92.1 
			 Supply: class B 9.9 90.1 
			 Supply: class C 18.0 82.0 
			 Supply: class unspecified 28.3 71.7 
			 Supply: cannabis 11.4 88.6 
			 (1) Percentages are not shown where the total number of convictions is small (less than 50).

Fines

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many fines issued in the most recent year for which figures are available were (a) paid in full within one year, (b) paid in part and (c) remain unpaid in each of the smallest geographic areas in England for which data is maintained.

Jonathan Djanogly: Her Majesty's Courts and Tribunals Service systems do not currently identify how many fines that were imposed in a particular year were paid in that period or remain outstanding at the end of the year. This data could be provided only at disproportionate cost as it would require a manual search of all fine accounts.

Government Departments: Procurement

Julian Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what progress his Department has made in eliminating pre-qualification questionnaires for procurements with a value of under £100,000.

Kenneth Clarke: As of September 2011 the Ministry of Justice eProcurement sourcing system has been updated to eliminate pre-qualification questions for procurements with a value of less than £100,000.

Human Trafficking: Victim Support Schemes

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the nationality was of each suspected victim of trafficking referred to the Trafficking Victim Support Scheme run by the Salvation Army between (a) 15 to 31 July and (b) 1 to 31 August 2011; in which region each of the suspected victims was found; and which agency referred each case to the scheme.

Crispin Blunt: The tables below set out the information requested.
	
		
			 (a) 15 to 31 July 2011 
			 Nationality Region Referring Organisation 
			 Vietnamese East Midlands Solicitors 
			 Lithuanian South East Police 
			 Kenyan South East Police 
			 Togolese South East Charity 
			 Romanian South East Police 
			 Romanian South East Charity 
			 Nigerian East UKBA 
			 Albanian Wales Solicitors 
			 Nigerian South East HM Prison Service 
			 Indian West Midlands Police 
			 Lithuanian South East Police 
			 Lithuanian South East Police 
			 Romanian South East Police 
			 Indonesian West Midlands Police 
		
	
	
		
			 (b) 1 to 31 August 2011 
			 Nationality Region Referring Organisation 
			 Ugandan South East Solicitors 
			 Romanian South Police 
			 Czech Yorkshire Police 
			 Ugandan South East Police 
			 Chinese South East Police 
		
	
	
		
			 Polish South East Police 
			 Nigerian South East Solicitors 
			 Nigerian North East Charity 
			 Romanian West Midlands Charity 
			 Romanian West Midlands Charity 
			 Slovakian Yorkshire Charity 
			 Slovakian Yorkshire Charity 
			 Slovakian Yorkshire Charity 
			 Slovakian Yorkshire Charity 
			 Philippine South East Police 
			 Ghanaian South East Self-referral 
			 Nigerian South East Self-referral 
			 Thai South East Police 
			 Ugandan South East Solicitors 
			 Benin West Midlands Charity 
			 Nigerian South East Solicitors 
			 Sierra Leone South East Charity 
			 Ethiopian West Midlands Social Services 
			 Nigerian South East Charity 
			 Nigerian South East Social Services 
			 Rwandan/ Ugandan South East Charity 
			 Czech North West Police 
			 Czech North West Police 
			 Czech North West Police 
			 Hungarian South East Charity 
			 Russian South East UKBA 
			 Polish Yorkshire Charity 
			 Indonesian South East UKBA 
			 Lithuanian North West Police 
			 Lithuanian North West Police 
			 Romanian South East Police

Legal Aid Scheme

Lyn Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many claims were brought against public authorities using legal aid in each of the last five years.

Jonathan Djanogly: The information requested is not readily available and can be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Legal Aid Scheme: Greater London

Lyn Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many legal aid matter starts there were in (a) social welfare law, (b) family law, (c) clinical negligence and (d) immigration law in (i) West Ham constituency and (ii) the London borough of Newham in each of the last five years.

Jonathan Djanogly: The Legal Services Commission (LSC) is responsible for administering the legal aid scheme in England and Wales. Further breakdown by category of law per constituency is not available.
	The following tables show the numbers of acts of assistance delivered by legal aid providers with postcodes falling within the West Ham constituency separately and in the London borough of Newham as a whole, which comprises the West Ham and East Ham constituencies in the last four years. This information represents the nearest matches of the LSC's available data to the information requested. The figures for 2010-11 are not yet available.
	
		
			 West Ham constituency 
			  Crime lower claims Legal help new matter starts Civil representation certificates issues Crime higher cases 
			 2006-07 7,101 4,169 519 626 
			 2007-08 6,078 4,599 538 629 
			 2008-09 6,749 3,480 545 723 
			 2009-10 8,133 1,528 409 990 
		
	
	
		
			 London borough of Newham (comprising West Ham and East Ham constituencies) 
			  Crime lower claims Legal help new matter starts Civil representation certificates issues Crime higher cases 
			 2006-07 9,301 9,339 1,058 857 
			 2007-08 8.6S2 9.064 1.025 877 
			 2008-09 9,714 9,224 1,119 1,127 
			 2009-10 9,933 6,030 1,133 1,214

Legal Aid Scheme: Greater London

Lyn Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many organisations in (a) West Ham constituency and (b) the London borough of Newham are under contract to the Legal Services Commission to provide legal aid services; how many legal aid cases those practices have taken on during the current contract period; and what the monetary value of each such contract is.

Jonathan Djanogly: The Legal Services Commission (LSC) is responsible for administering the legal aid scheme in England and Wales. Based on the postcode of legal aid providers recorded in the LSC's systems, there are currently 28 active civil and 22 active crime providers with offices in the West Ham and East Ham constituencies.
	The information in the following table represents the nearest matches of the LSC's available data to the information requested. The figures for 2010-2011, number of cases during the current contract period and claims are not readily available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	
		
			 London borough of Newham (  c  omprising West Ham and East Ham constituencies) 
			  Crime lower claims Legal help new matter starts Civil representation certificates issues Crime higher cases 
			 2009-10 9,104 6,030 1,133 1,214

Legal Aid Scheme: Greater London

Lyn Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many claims against (a) local authorities in London and (b) Newham London borough council were brought using legal aid in each of the last five years.

Jonathan Djanogly: The information requested is not readily available and can be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Offences Against Children

Michael Connarty: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how the implementation obligations in respect of each article of the draft EU Directive on Sexual Abuse and Exploitation of Children will be met by existing domestic law and practice.

Kenneth Clarke: The Government considered that the Council agreed text of the EU directive on combating child sexual abuse and exploitation and child pornography, which was the subject of a debate in the House on 26 April 2011, would not have required changes to existing legislation and practice in England and Wales. The final text of this directive however has still to be agreed as changes were made to the text over the course of negotiations with the European Parliament. An article-by-article account of the plans for implementation across the UK will be provided once the text is finally agreed.

Offenders: Speech Therapy

Gary Streeter: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many (a) young and (b) adult offenders are recorded as having speech language and communication needs; and at what stage in the incarceration process each category of offender is assessed for any such needs.

Crispin Blunt: The number of young and adult offenders with speech, language or communication needs is not recorded.
	Education providers under contract with the Young Peoples Learning Agency (YPLA) assess the learning levels and needs of young people within the first seven days of entering custody.
	A health needs assessment is undertaken when individuals enter prison to assist in identifying speech, language and communications needs.

Office of the Chief Coroner

William Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what costs his Department has incurred in relation to the Office of the Chief Coroner in each of the last four financial years.

Jonathan Djanogly: The Office of Chief Coroner has not been established, therefore the Ministry of Justice incurred has incurred no costs relating to the office in any of the last four financial years.

Prison Accommodation

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many hours per week (a) young offenders and (b) adult prisoners at Parc prison, Bridgend spent in their cells in each year since 2005; and if he will make a statement.

Crispin Blunt: As a measure of safety and decency in prisons, the National Offender Management Service collects data on the average hours per week day that prisoners are unlocked. By subtracting the average hours unlocked from the 24 hours in a day it is possible to estimate hours spent locked in cell. It should be noted that the latter will include hours when prisoners are asleep.
	The information is not available in the format requested. Data cannot be broken down by prisoner type for HMP and YOI Parc. Figures for time locked in cell are set out in the following table for HMP and YOI Parc for the financial years 2005-06, 2006-07, 2007-08, 2008-09, 2009-10 and 2010-11.
	
		
			 Estimated average time locked in cell 
			  Hours per prisoner per day 
			 2005-06 13.7 
			 2006-07 14.3 
			 2007-08 14.1 
			 2008-09 14.7 
			 2009-10 14.8 
			 2010-11 14.6

Prisoners : Education

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many hours per week (a) young offenders and (b) adult prisoners at Parc prison, Bridgend spent on (i) work-based activities and (ii) education-based activities in each year since 2005; and if he will make a statement.

Crispin Blunt: The information is not available in the format requested. Data cannot be broken down by prisoner type for HMP and YOI Parc. The data available are for the whole of HMP and YOI Parc's population. The following table shows the average number of hours per week per prisoner spent on work-based and education-based activities for the financial years 2005-06, 2006-07, 2007-08, 2008-09, 2009-10 and 2010-11 at HMP and YOI Parc.
	
		
			  Education Work 
			 2005-06 8.19 19.61 
			 2006-07 7.82 20.98 
			 2007-08 7.43 20.88 
			 2008-09 6.64 17.58 
			 2009-10 6.57 16.83 
			 2010-11 7.81 15.11 
			 Note: These figures have been drawn from administrative IT systems, which, as with any large-scale recording system, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing.

Prisons

Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice if he will estimate the total cost to the public purse of the preparation of the competitions for (a) HMP Featherstone II, (b) Buckley Hall, (c) Birmingham and (d) Wellingborough.

Crispin Blunt: It is not possible to separate the cost of preparing for the prison competitions for HMP Birmingham, HMP Buckley Hall, HMP Doncaster, HMP Featherstone 2, and HMP Wellingborough from the total costs associated with the competitions for those five prisons.
	For estimates of aggregated costs associated with the above prison competitions, I refer the right hon. Member to my response to his question of today.
	Estimated or forecast spending on the prison competitions for HMP Birmingham, HMP Buckley Hall, HMP Doncaster, HMP Featherstone 2 and HMP Wellingborough, together with underpinning caveats and assumptions, is detailed as follows. All costs are given to two significant figures.
	(A) For their contribution to the work on the competitions for the five prisons named above, we forecast that the combined spending of Ministry of Justice Procurement and Ministry of Justice ICT will be:
	(i) £1,070,000 on staff;
	(ii) £0 on travel and subsistence; and
	(iii) £1,600,000 on other costs.
	Operational input to supplier dialogue and evaluation phase have been excluded from this cost model.
	(B) The overall agreed value of the Public Sector Bids Unit/Business Development Unit for prison competitions was £1,100,000.
	An agreed value was used in bidding, as the cost of the Public Sector Bids Unit/Business Development Unit was not identified separately by expenditure or by Public Sector Bids Unit/Business Development Unit itself within the accounts. No local cost tracking was undertaken. Delays in the bidding process added costs to the Public Sector Bids Unit/Business Development Unit, although the work undertaken could not be directly attributed to the above bids.
	Public Sector Bids Unit/Business Development Unit costs for HMP Wellingborough and HMP Doncaster ceased when MoJ Procurement stopped developing the relevant bids. Work on HMP Birmingham and HMP Featherstone 2 stopped when the announcement of contract award for these two prisons was made on 31 March 2011. Some support costs, which have not been quantified, have been incurred in the mobilisation phase at HMP Buckley Hall.
	(C) For their contribution to the work on the competitions for the five prisons named above, we forecast that the combined spending of NOMS Business and Service Development Group, Estates, and NOMS ICT will be:
	(i) £1,300,000 on staff;
	(ii) £70,000 on travel and subsistence;
	(iii) £700,000 on other costs.
	Operational input to supplier dialogue and evaluation phase have been excluded from this cost model.
	Some teams in NOMS were deployed to these prison competitions from other work, including during evaluation stages in the procurement phase. The Department has not accounted for this potential opportunity cost.

Prisons: Manpower

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the ratio of prison officers to (a) young offenders and (b) adult prisoners was in each year since 2005; and if he will make a statement.

Crispin Blunt: Information on the ratio of officers to young offenders and officers to adult prisoners since 31 March 2005 is provided in the following table. The ratios are calculated as the number of prisoners to each officer.
	It is not possible to disaggregate staffing information for sites that hold both young offenders and adults. For the purposes of calculating the ratios such sites are allocated as either young offender or adult depending on largest number of prisoners of each type held.
	
		
			 Ratio of prisoners to officers, end of March 2005 to 2011 
			  Young offenders Adult prisoners 
			 2005 2.1 2.9 
			 2006 2.2 3.0 
			 2007 2.2 3.0 
			 2008 2.1 3.1 
			 2009 2.0 3.1 
			 2010 2.1 3.2 
			 2011 2.1 3.3 
			 Note:  1. Staffing information includes prison officers, senior officers and principal officers and their equivalent in private sector establishments.  2. Staffing information was not available for Ashfield, Doncaster, Dovegate, Forest Bank and Lowdham Grange prior to 2008. These establishments have been excluded from ratio calculations prior to 2008.

Prisons: Private Sector

Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  whether operational staff in private sector prisons are barred from taking strike action under section 127 of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994; whether such staff have access to the Prison Service Pay Review Body; and whether any other compensatory measure is available to prison staff in the private sector;
	(2)  whether staff in prisons operated by the private sector have a right to strike; and what arrangements are in place to operate such prisons in the event of such industrial action.

Crispin Blunt: The restrictions placed on industrial action by prison officers by section 127 of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994 (as amended) apply in both public sector and privately contracted prisons. This means that prison custody officers in private sector prisons are unable to take strike action.
	The Prison Service Pay Review Body makes recommendations to the Government for the pay of a defined group of public sector prison service staff. Private contractors have separate pay determination processes for their staff. Any compensatory measures for the restriction of staff’s ability to strike would be at the discretion of the private contractor.
	Contingency arrangements for operating privately-run prisons in the event of unlawful industrial action are the responsibility of the private contractor.

Probation: Finance

Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the budget was of each probation trust in (a) 2007-08, (b) 2008-09, (c) 2009-10 and (d) 2010-11; and what budget he has set for (i) 2011-12, (ii) 2012-13 and (iii) 2013-14.

Crispin Blunt: Probation Trusts were put in place between 2008 and 2010, following the implementation of the Offender Management Act 2007 and replaced the former Probation Boards. Financial year 2007-08 falls prior to the existence of Trusts. Figures for Boards and Trusts in financial years prior to April 2010 are not directly comparable.
	Figures compiled from annual net operating costs reported in the NOMS Agency annual accounts and supporting data for Probation Boards and those Trusts set up in 2008-09, show total spend of £897 million (of which £112 million relates to Trusts), and for 2009-10 total spend of £899 million (of which £194 million relates to Trusts).
	Financial years 2010-11 and 2011-12
	The overall budget for Probation was £864 million in 2010-11 and £820 million in 2011-12. The following table sets out budget allocations for each Probation Trust in 2010-11 and contract values for financial year 2011-12 as agreed with each Probation Trust. It should be noted that, in addition to these amounts, some funds were held centrally for specific offender related initiatives. These are not embedded in the budget and contract values and therefore excluded from the table. Individual amounts may vary throughout the year, but are shown as at the start of the financial year. Probation Trusts may also receive income from elsewhere. Figures are rounded to the nearest £ million.
	
		
			 £ million 
			 Probation Trust 2010-11 2011-12 
			 Avon and Somerset 20 19 
			 Bedfordshire 9 9 
			 Cambridgeshire 10 9 
			 Cheshire 15 14 
			 Cumbria 8 8 
			 Derbyshire 14 13 
			 Devon and Cornwall 19 18 
			 Dorset 9 8 
			 Durham and Teeside 23 22 
			 Essex 19 19 
			 Gloucestershire 8 7 
			 Greater Manchester 50 48 
			 Hampshire 24 23 
			 Hertfordshire 11 11 
			 Humberside 16 16 
			 Kent 21 19 
			 Lancashire 24 23 
			 Leicestershire 15 14 
		
	
	
		
			 Lincolnshire 9 9 
			 London 146 138 
			 Merseyside 31 29 
			 Norfolk and Suffolk 20 19 
			 North Yorkshire 10 9 
			 Northamptonshire 9 9 
			 Northumbria 28 28 
			 Nottinghamshire 19 18 
			 South Yorkshire 25 24 
			 Staffs/West Mids 72 69 
			 Surrey and Sussex 27 25 
			 Thames Valley 26 25 
			 Wales 55 52 
			 Warwickshire 7 7 
			 West Mercia 15 14 
			 West Yorkshire 40 38 
			 Wiltshire 7 7 
		
	
	Budgets for periods 2012-13 and 2013-14
	Given the demanding settlement the Department received in the 2010 spending review we are continuing to finalise our savings plans for the remainder of the SR period, and as a result detailed budgets for individual trusts are not yet available.

Remand in Custody

Paul Maynard: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many and what proportion of adults remanded in custody were subsequently (a) acquitted and (b) given a community sentence in the last three years for which figures are available.

Crispin Blunt: The number and proportion of adults remanded in custody at magistrates courts and the Crown court in England and Wales who were subsequently acquitted or went on to receive a community sentence between 2008 to 2010 (latest currently available) can be viewed in the table.
	Court proceedings data for 2011 are planned for publication in the spring, 2012.
	
		
			 The estimated number and percentage of adults  (1)   remanded in custody  (2)   who were subsequently acquitted  (3)   or received a non-custodial sentence  (4)   at magistrates courts and the Crown court, England and Wales 2008 to 2010 
			 Final outcome Adult defendants 
			  2008 2009 2010 
			 Number    
			 Magistrates courts(5)    
			 Acquitted 6,802 4,768 6,582 
			 Immediate custody 11,535 11,665 8,008 
			 Non-custodial 15,271 11,549 10,098 
			 Of which    
			 Community sentence 5,203 3,763 3,235 
			     
			 Crown court    
			 Acquitted 3,800 4,160 4,523 
			 Immediate custody 29,687 30,033 30,792 
			 Non-custodial 6,032 5,986 6,439 
			 Of which    
			 Community sentence 2,319 2,304 2,583 
			     
		
	
	
		
			 Percentage(5)    
			 Magistrates courts(6)    
			 Acquitted 20 17 27 
			 Immediate custody 34 42 32 
			 Non-custodial 45 41 41 
			 Of which    
			 Community sentence 15 13 13 
			     
			 Crown court    
			 Acquitted 10 10 11 
			 Immediate custody 75 75 74 
			 Non-custodial 15 15 15 
			 Of which    
			 Community sentence 6 6 6 
			 (1) Defined as being aged 18 or over at the date of appearance in court.  (2) Includes those remanded in custody at any stage of proceedings at magistrates and the Crown court who may also have been given bail at some stage of those proceedings.  (3 )Acquitted includes proceedings discontinued, discharged, withdrawn and dismissed at magistrates courts and acquitted and not tried at the Crown court.  (4 )Non-custodial sentences include discharges, fines, community sentences, and a number of other sentences that do not involve incarceration.  (5) Percentages presented here represent the proportions of all adults who were remanded in custody, excluding those who failed to appear and where the magistrates court committed the defendant for trial or sentence to the Crown court.  (6) Magistrates courts’ figures exclude those committed for trial or sentence at the Crown court and those who failed to appear. Also excluded are data for Cardiff magistrates court for April, July and August 2008.  Notes: 1. Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used.  2. Some percentages may not sum to 100 due to rounding.  Source:Prepared by Justice Statistics Analytical Services within the Ministry of Justice.

Reoffenders

Gareth Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many convictions for repeat offenders there were in (a) the south-east, (b) Kent and (c) Dartford constituency in each of the last 10 years.

Crispin Blunt: The following table shows the number of offenders sentenced for indictable offences by area and criminal history, 2001-10. These figures relate to separate sentencing occasions and therefore an offender may be included on more than one occasion, either within an area, across areas, or across time. These figures are a further breakdown of table Q7.5 in ‘Criminal Justice Statistics Quarterly Update to December 2010’ which was published on 26 May 2011.
	Sentencing occasions have been allocated to a location on the basis of the police force that processed the offence, or in the case of Dartford the offender's address at the time of conviction. Repeat offenders are those with a previous conviction or caution anywhere in England or Wales.
	These figures have been drawn from the police's administrative IT system, the police national computer, which, as with any large scale recording system, is subject to possible errors with data entry and processing. The figures are provisional and subject to change as more information is recorded by the police.
	
		
			 Number of convictions for repeat offenders dealt with in the Dartford constituency, by Kent police and police forces in South East region, 2001-10  (1,2) 
			 Sentencing occasions 
			  2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 
			 Dartford constituency           
			 All offenders 295 255 295 285 261 355 389 430 408 491 
			 Repeat offenders 259 233 262 238 229 318 359 381 364 440 
			 Percentage 87.8 91.4 88.8 83.5 87.7 89.6 92.3 88.6 89.2 89.6 
			            
			 Kent police force           
			 All offenders 7,957 8,202 8,386 7,517 6,973 6,713 7,143 7,664 7,835 8,239 
			 Repeat offenders 6,948 7,273 7,243 6,597 6,173 5,929 6,328 6,783 6,967 7,370 
			 Percentage 87.3 88.7 86.4 87.8 88.5 88.3 88.6 88.5 88.9 89.5 
			            
		
	
	
		
			 Police forces in south-east region           
			 All offenders 34,571 35,404 35,497 34,495 34,846 34,196 35,958 38,681 38,578 39,921 
			 Repeat offenders 30,320 31,515 31,465 30,656 31,144 30,438 32,106 34,714 34,712 35,900 
			 Percentage 87.7 89.0 88.6 88.9 89.4 89.0 89.3 89.7 90.0 89.9 
			 (1) Repeat offenders are those who had at least one previous caution or conviction. (2) Figures are counts of sentencing occasions.

Restraining Orders

Katy Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many people breached restraining orders issued under the Protection from Harassment Act 1997 on (a) one, (b) two, (c) three and (d) four or more occasions.

Crispin Blunt: The figures requested are provided in the following table. These figures have been drawn from the police's administrative IT system, the police national computer, which, as with any large scale recording system, is subject to possible errors with data entry and processing. The figures are provisional and subject to change as more information is recorded by the police.
	
		
			 O  ffenders recorded on the police national c  omputer in England and Wales as having been convicted of breaching a restraining order on one or more occasions between 1997 and 2011 
			 Number of occasions involving a conviction for breach of a restraining order Number 
			 1 8,146 
			 2 2,046 
			 3 719 
			 4 or more 486 
			 Total 11,397

Suspended Supervision Orders

Linda Riordan: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many suspended supervision orders were made in 2010-11; and how many were breached.

Crispin Blunt: Suspended sentence supervision orders (under sections 122-124 of the Powers of Criminal Courts (Sentencing) Act 2000) were repealed by the Criminal Justice Act 2003 and none were imposed in 2010-11. They were replaced by suspended sentence orders, introduced in the Criminal Justice Act 2003, which enable the court to suspend a prison sentence of 12 months or less while ordering the offenders to undertake one or more requirements in the community, including supervision.
	The total number of suspended sentences handed down at all courts for 2010 in England and Wales was 48,118 for all offences.
	Information on the number of suspended supervision orders breached is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

TREASURY

Air Passenger Duty

David Hanson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  what (a) projections of numbers of flights and (b) economic data he used to inform his decision to reduce the rate of air passenger duty in Northern Ireland;
	(2)  what his policy is on devolving air passenger duty to the Scottish Parliament;
	(3)  whether he plans to alter the air passenger duty rates for passengers travelling in premium economy class on flights from airports in Northern Ireland;
	(4)  whether he plans to introduce any exemptions to standard rates of air passenger duty other than for long haul flights from Northern Ireland;
	(5)  which year’s figures for the potential number of flights from UK airports his Department used as a basis for the Air Passenger Duty revenue forecasts announced in the 2011 Budget; and whether his Department plans to update the revenue projections for each financial year up to 2015-16 to take account of the latest forecasts from the Department for Transport.

Chloe Smith: Northern Ireland’s airports operate in unique circumstances within the UK. The decision to reduce air passenger duty (APD) was made in order to ensure that local airports remain competitive. The reduction also applies to premium economy passengers.
	On the broader reform of APD, including consideration of devolution of APD to other parts of the UK, HM Treasury will publish a full response later in the autumn.
	The APD forecast published at Budget 2011 used air passenger numbers up to and including 2010 Q4. The Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) published the forecast of passenger numbers at:
	http://budgetresponsibility.independent.gov.uk/wordpress/docs/APD%20(3).pdf
	The revenue forecasts will be updated in the OBR’s economic and fiscal outlook on 29 November, alongside the autumn statement.

Bank Services: Switzerland

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether his Department has assessed whether a one-off deduction of between 19 per cent. and 34 per cent. of funds held by UK taxpayers in Swiss bank accounts would be sufficient to settle past tax liabilities.

David Gauke: The agreement with Switzerland on co-operation in tax matters provides for a significant deduction from Swiss accounts to settle past tax liabilities. In considering the level of the deduction, HM Revenue and Customs reviewed a number of settled tax investigations involving assets held offshore.
	The level of deduction provided for in the agreement is in line with the outcomes of the reviewed investigations.

Bank Services: Switzerland

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  what his policy is on full tax disclosure by UK taxpayers with Swiss bank accounts other than to the Swiss authorities;
	(2)  what his policy is on the disclosure of the identities of UK taxpayers who will be affected by the proposed UK-Swiss tax agreement; and if he will make a statement.

David Gauke: It is the Government's policy that taxpayers should make a full account of their tax affairs to HM Revenue and Customs.

Bank Services: Switzerland

David Hanson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the yield to the Exchequer in tax revenue attributable to the agreement with Switzerland on offshore tax evasion in (a) 2012, (b) 2013, (c) 2014 and (d) 2015.

David Gauke: The UK expects to receive billions of pounds as a result of this historic agreement with Switzerland.

Bank Services: Switzerland

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  what assessment his Department has made of the effects of the tax withholding rate to be applied to the accounts of UK taxpayers holding bank accounts in Switzerland being lower than their UK marginal tax rate; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what analysis his Department undertook in reaching its determination that a withholding tax rate of 48% on investment income and 27% on gains will ensure the effective future taxation of UK residents with funds in Swiss bank accounts.

David Gauke: Without knowledge of the worldwide tax positions of individuals with assets in Switzerland, it is not possible to determine the correct marginal rate of taxation. For this reason, the rates of withholding tax provided for by the agreement between the UK and Switzerland on co-operation in tax matters are set very close to the top rates of UK tax.
	The small difference between the top UK rates and the rates in the agreement with Switzerland reflects a timing advantage to the UK from the new withholding tax: the tax will be collected at source, and will reach the UK authorities significantly earlier than it would under self-assessment.

Bank Services: Switzerland

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the application of the proposed UK-Swiss tax agreement to (a) trusts and (b) limited companies (i) established, owned, or settled by UK resident people and (ii) of which UK resident people might be beneficiaries; by what mechanisms it is proposed to verify whether taxation is applied to them in all reasonably foreseeable situations; and if he will make a statement.

David Gauke: The agreement with Switzerland was signed on 6 October. It contains a requirement for Swiss banks to look through complicated structures such as trusts and companies to identify whether the beneficial owner is a UK resident taxpayer. The full text of the agreement is available on the HMRC website at:
	http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/taxtreaties/ukswiss.htm

Child Benefit

Christopher Leslie: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 15 September 2011, Official Report, column 1268W, on child benefit, 
	(1)  by what means a higher rate taxpayer who is not currently obliged to complete a tax return will be required to inform HM Revenue and Customs of their household child benefit status;
	(2)  by what means a higher rate taxpayer will be able to inform HM Revenue and Customs if their household is in receipt of child benefit if they are not required to complete a tax return.

David Gauke: The changes to child benefit will be administered through the tax system. People will be able to either contact HMRC to stop receiving child benefit or have it recovered through the PAYE or self-assessment systems. The withdrawal will be implemented through existing systems and processes. Further details of the changes to child benefit will be announced in due course.

Children: Day Care

Philip Davies: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the costs and benefits of allowing child care costs to be tax deductible.

David Gauke: The tax relief and associated NICs disregards for employer-supported child care were introduced to advance the Government's strategy of encouraging parents into work by promoting safe, good quality child care and providing incentives and wider options to encourage more employers to support child care provisions for their staff.
	Income tax and NICs forgone on employer-supported child care are estimated to cost the Exchequer £600 million in 2011-12.

Climate Change

Mark Lazarowicz: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps he plans to take to ensure that progress is made on the developed world’s climate finance responsibilities when he meets his G20 counterparts in October 2011.

Chloe Smith: The Chancellor of the Exchequer, my right hon. Friend the Member for Tatton (Mr Osborne), has been actively involved in discussions with international and European counterparts, including G20 Finance Ministers, on international climate finance. As was the case with previous Administrations, it is not the Government’s practice to provide details of all such discussions.

Credit: Low Incomes

William Bain: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions he has had with high street banks on making affordable credit available to those on low and minimum incomes.

Mark Hoban: Treasury Ministers and officials have meetings with a wide variety of organisations in the public and private sectors as part of the process of policy development and delivery. As was the case with previous Administrations, it is not the Government's practice to provide details of all such meetings.

Departmental Billing

Eilidh Whiteford: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proportion of invoices from suppliers his Department paid within 10 days of receipt in July and August 2010.

Chloe Smith: The Department's aim is to pay suppliers within five working days. Details of our payment performance are published monthly on the Treasury website at:
	http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/group_payment_performance.htm

Departmental Buildings

Andrew George: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent estimate he has made of the (a) monetary value of his Department's maintenance backlog and (b) time required to complete such maintenance.

Chloe Smith: The management of maintenance and other building facilities is included in the contract HM Treasury has for its building at 1 Horse Guards road in London, details of which are available in Note 23.2 on page 160 of the HM Treasury Annual Report and Accounts 2010-11 (HC 984).
	Other buildings are occupied by HM Treasury under agreement with other Government Departments who are responsible for maintenance arrangements in those buildings.

Departmental Consultants

David Simpson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what procedures his Department uses when engaging external consultants.

Chloe Smith: HM Treasury operates a business case approval process for the procurement of consultancy services. In addition to the departmental approval process, Cabinet Office approval is sought where:
	contracts are expected to last longer than nine months;
	pre-existing contracts when extended take the total life of the contract to beyond nine months; and
	spend is over £20,000 on procurement-related consultancy.
	The process for engaging advisers follows the departmental procurement process and is dependent on the level of spend and the availability and suitability of pan-Government framework agreements.

Departmental Fines

Eilidh Whiteford: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many transport-related fines his Department has settled on behalf of its staff; and at what cost in each year since 2007.

Chloe Smith: For the period 2007-08 to 2009-10 I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 15 September 2010, Official Report, column 1044W, to the hon. Member for Dundee East (Stewart Hosie). In 2010-11 one transport-related fine was paid at a cost of £60.

Departmental Flags

Ian Austin: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 14 June 2010, Official Report, column 274W, on departmental flags, whether his Department has flown the Union flag at the official buildings for which his Department is responsible on each day of the year since June 2010.

Chloe Smith: Yes.

Departmental Legal Opinion

Angela Smith: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the average hourly rate paid was to external (a) solicitors and (b) barristers engaged by his Departments in 2010-11; what guidance his Departments uses in commissioning external legal advice; and if he will publish (i) the names of each external (A) solicitor and (B) barrister engaged by his Departments in 2010-11 and (ii) the sums paid in each case.

Justine Greening: This answer relates to HM Treasury spend only.
	The Treasury Solicitor's Department (Tsol) provides legal services to the Treasury. It has published its hourly rates for 2011-12, which offer a 5% discount on the previous year. Further information is available on:
	http://www.tsol.gov.uk/Publications/Scheme_Publications/business_plan.pdf
	The Treasury engages external solicitors firms to advise in specialist areas using the Government Procurement Services Buying Solutions lists of approved legal suppliers. The specific rates for senior and junior solicitors are negotiated by central Government although better rates may be agreed during the contractual tender process. Further information is available at the following web address:
	http://www.buyingsolutions.gov.uk/services/Legal/
	In relation to direct instruction of barristers by the Treasury, and by the Treasury Solicitor's Department on behalf of the Treasury, the guidance issued by the Attorney-General and Tsol is followed:
	http://www.tsol.gov.uk/PanelCounsel/appointments_to_panel.htm
	The hourly rates for advocates on the Attorney-General's Panels of Counsel who are approved to undertake Government work are shown in the following table. The panel system is supplemented by the retention of two First Treasury Counsel to advise and represent Government in particularly complex and sensitive matters. Their hourly rate is also shown in the table.
	
		
			 Level of experience Hourly rate (£) 
			 Panel A (over 10 years) 120 
			 Pane! B (between five and 10 years) 100 
			 Panel C (between two and five years) (1)60 
			  (2)80 
			   
			 Regional Panel (1)60 
			  (3)90 
			  (4)110 
			   
			 First Treasury Counsel 220 
			 (1) Under five years' experience (2) Over five years’ experience (3) Five to 10 years’ experience (4) Over 10 years’ experience 
		
	
	The Treasury is required to seek the Attorney-General's nomination in any case in which it wishes to choose advocates who are not on the panel (for example, to use leading counsel). Fees in these cases are individually set but the nomination process ensures that a strong business case must be made for the engagement of higher charging counsel. QCs are instructed in line with the guidance published by the Attorney-General's Office, i.e. negotiated at between £180 and £250 per hour. Guidance on this is available at:
	http://www.tsol.gov.uk/PanelCounsel/work_outside_panel.htm
	The following list shows the external barristers and solicitors who have undertaken work for HM Treasury in 2010-11. Except where otherwise shown the amount paid in 2010-11 was less than £25,000.
	Counsel engaged for HM Treasury:
	Mr Jonathan Charles Ashley-Norman
	Mr Daniel Awrey
	Mr Daniel Beard
	Miss Catherine Callaghan
	Mr. Martin Chamberlain
	Mr Richard Craven
	Mr Jonathan Crow QC
	Mr Alan Dashwood QC
	Mr Jonathan Davey
	Malcolm Davis-White QC
	Mr James Eadie QC (£30,000 to £35,000)
	Mr Tim Eicke
	Miss Shaheed Fatima
	Mr David Friedman QC
	Mr Andreas Gledhill
	Mr Martin Goudie
	Mr Steven Gray
	Mr Andrew Henshaw
	Mr Javan Herberg
	Mr Raymond Hill
	Mr Andrew Hogan
	Mr Ben Jaffey
	Mr Ian Jobling
	Mr Tristan Jones
	Mr Paul Lasok QC
	Ms Sara Lee
	Ms Maya Lester
	Mr Clive Lewis QC
	Mr Angus McCullough
	Mr James Maurici
	Mr Julian Milford
	Mr Paul Newman QC
	Mr Paul Nicholls
	Mr Andrew O'Connor
	Mr Ben Olbourne
	Miss Carys Owen
	Miss Naina Patel
	Mr George Peretz QC
	Mr Ben Pilling
	Ms Melanie Plimmer
	Mr Simon Pritchard
	Miss Shaheen Rahman
	Miss Deok-Joo Rhee
	Mr Clive Sheldon QC
	Mr Sharif Shivji
	Miss Kassie Smith
	Mr Richard Snowden QC
	Ms Jemima Stratford QC
	Mr Jonathan Swift QC (£85,000 to £90,000)
	Mr David Thomas
	Mr Robert Wastell
	Sir Michael Wood
	Samuel Wordsworth
	Brick Court
	HMRC (Fawcett JR)
	Monkton Chambers
	Wordwave International Ltd
	Solicitors engaged for HM Treasury:
	Clyde and Co
	Field Fisher Waterhouse
	Irwin Mitchell
	Linklaters LLP
	Sharpe Pritchard
	Slaughter and May (£260,000 to £265,000)(1)
	(1) These figures relate to work instructed upon in the previous financial year.

Departmental Procurement

Julian Smith: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what progress his Department has made in eliminating pre-qualification questionnaires for procurements with a value of under £100,000.

Chloe Smith: HM Treasury has eliminated pre-qualification questionnaires for procurements with a value under £100,000.

Departmental Procurement

Stewart Hosie: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what contracts of a monetary value of (a) between £100,000 and £500,000, (b) between £500,000 and £1 million, (c) between £1 million and £5 million, (d) between £5 million and £10 million, (e) between £10 million and £50 million, (f) between £50 million and £100 million, (g) between £100 million and £500 million, (h) between £500 million and £1 billion, (i) between £1 billion and £5 billion and (j) over £5 billion his Department has entered into with private suppliers in each year since 1990.

Chloe Smith: This information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Public Expenditure

David Simpson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much his Department spent on new furnishings in the last year.

Chloe Smith: Details of the Treasury Group’s spending on furniture and equipment in 2010-11 is shown in the Department’s 2010-11 annual report and accounts (HC 984), table 13.1 on page 141. A copy of the report is available at:
	http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/d/annual_report _accounts140711.pdf

Departmental Sick Leave

Mike Freer: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer for how many days on average his Department’s staff in each pay grade were absent from work as a result of ill health in 2010-11.

Chloe Smith: The following table lists the average working days lost per grade for HM Treasury employees due to sick absence from April 2010 to March 2011.
	
		
			 Grade Average working days lost per employee 
			 B 8.0 
			 C 6.2 
			 D 2.3 
			 E 2.8 
			 SCS 1.0 
			 Combined staff grades 3.4

Departmental Training

Eilidh Whiteford: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many external training courses staff of his Department attended in the last 12 months; and what the cost to the public purse was of each course.

Chloe Smith: I refer the hon. Member to the written answer given to the hon. Member for Dundee East (Stewart Hosie), on 13 September 2010, Official Report, column 788W.

Duchy of Cornwall

Andrew George: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  which (a) organisations and (b) individuals in Cornwall have been consulted on the proposals in respect of the Duchy of Cornwall contained in the Sovereign Grant Bill;
	(2)  if he will take steps to ensure that the people of Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly are fully consulted on the proposed future arrangements for the support of the Duke of Cornwall and related matters as contained in the provisions of the Sovereign Grant Bill.

Chloe Smith: The Sovereign Grant Bill sets out how support for certain future Dukes of Cornwall is to be arranged if the heir to the throne is not the adult first son of the monarch. These arrangements do not affect any person or organisation in Cornwall.
	The Treasury consulted the Royal Household about the content of the Sovereign Grant Bill.
	The Sovereign Grant Bill allows no discretion about how support for the Duke of Cornwall is to be provided. Therefore no consultation is envisaged should these provisions ever be used.

Economic Situation

Alison McGovern: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the oral answer of 10 October 2011, Official Report, column 51, on the Eurozone, if he will place in the Library a copy of any economic modelling his Department has undertaken to project the effects of the latest round of quantitative easing on inflation in (a) 2011-12, (b) 2012-13, (c) 2013-14 and (d) 2014-15.

Chloe Smith: The Office for Budget Responsibility's forecast, including a forecast for inflation, set out in its Economic and Fiscal Outlook (EFO), is the official UK forecast. The next EFO will be published on 29 November 2011.
	The independent Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) of the Bank of England's forecasts of inflation take into account the monetary policy stance. The most recent MPC forecasts can be found in the August 2011 Inflation Report which is published on the Bank of England website. The next quarterly Inflation Report will be published on 16 November 2011.
	The Bank of England has stated in its Quarterly Bulletin published in September 2011 that quantitative easing (QE) carried out between March 2009 and January 2010 raised UK inflation by around ¾ to 1½ percentage points and increased real GDP by around 1½% to 2%.

Enterprise Zones: Lancashire

Graham Jones: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions (a) he and (b) his officials have had with their counterparts in the Department for Business, Skills and Innovation on the enterprise zone bid for Lancashire.

Chloe Smith: HM Treasury, the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills and the Department for Communities and Local Government are in regular contact with the Lancashire Local Enterprise Partnership, on enterprise zone policy.

Equitable Life Assurance Society: Compensation

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent discussions he has had with former investors in Equitable Life on the length of the compensation scheme.

Mark Hoban: In accordance with the 2010 spending review, and the Equitable Life Payment Scheme Design published in June this year, the scheme intends to make all payments it can to non-with profits annuity policyholders—including estates—by April 2014.
	It is intended that the scheme will remain open to make ongoing payments to eligible with profits annuity policyholders beyond this point.

Equitable Life Assurance Society: Compensation

Glenda Jackson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  whether payments to Equitable Life policyholders under the 9 June 2011 scheme are being prioritised by (a) age, (b) years of investment or (c) any other criteria; and how many payments have been made to date;
	(2)  how many Equitable Life policyholders qualified to receive re-imbursement under the scheme introduced in June 2011 have received (a) full, (b) partial and (c) no payment to date; and if he will make a statement.

Mark Hoban: Payments under the Equitable Life Payment Scheme, which began on 30 June 2011, are being made in accordance with the payments criteria set out in the scheme rules, available at:
	http://equitablelifepaymentscheme.independent.gov.uk/docs/pdfs/elps_main_doc_final.pdf
	Hundreds of payments have been made to date. Payment volumes will continue to be ramped up over the coming months as the schemes complex payment processes are refined further.

European Central Bank

Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what timetable he has set for his challenge to the European Central Bank Eurosystem Oversight Framework policy.

Mark Hoban: On 15 September 2011, the UK Government submitted a challenge to the European Central Bank's Eurosystem Oversight Policy Framework (5 July 2011), in so far as it sets out a location policy to be applied to financial market infrastructure such as central clearing counterparties. The timetable for this case is determined by provisions of the treaty on the functioning of the European Union and by the General Court of the Court of Justice of the European Union, in accordance with its rules of procedure.

Excise Duties: Biofuels

Thomas Docherty: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps his Department plans to take to address duty avoidance in the production of biodiesel.

Justine Greening: The Government are aware of several cases where producers have tried to avoid registering to pay biofuels duty. HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) strongly defend the position that suppliers are liable to account for the duty if they produce 2,500 litres or more and supply the oil for fuel production.
	A small producers' biofuel duty exemption was introduced in 2007 and continues to offer effective tax relief to low volume biofuel producers, who are also asked to keep sufficient records of their production under 2,500 litres per year.
	To assist members of the public in reporting cases of concern, HMRC have developed an email template, which is available online at:
	https://online.hmrc.gov.uk/shortforms/form/AAG_TAI

Excise Duties: Gaming Machines

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received on the effect of machine games duty on British seaside (a) businesses, (b) employment and (c) tourism; and if he will make a statement.

Chloe Smith: Treasury Ministers and officials meet with, and receive representations from, a wide range of organisations and individuals in the public and private sectors as part of the usual policymaking process. As was the case with previous Administrations, it is not the Government's practice to provide details of all such representations.

Excise Duties: Motor Vehicles

Jonathan Edwards: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much vehicle excise duty was collected in (a) Wales, (b) England, (c) Scotland and (d) Northern Ireland in each of the last five years.

Chloe Smith: Disaggregated national receipts data is not held and could be produced only at disproportionate cost. Information on overall UK vehicle excise duty receipts is published annually in the Budget.

Excise Duties: Petrol

Eilidh Whiteford: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the tax payable on the average pump price of a litre of unleaded petrol was on 30 September 2011.

Chloe Smith: The average pump price for petrol on 3 October, the nearest published date to that requested, was 135.02 pence per litre. The price includes fuel duty paid by fuel producers at 57.95 pence per litre and VAT paid by consumers at 20%or 22.50 pence per litre in this example. Published energy price statistics can be found on the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) website at:
	www.decc.gov.uk

Financial Services Authority: Government Procurement Card

Charlie Elphicke: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the (a) date of purchase, (b) amount, (c) supplier and (d) level 3 or enhanced transaction entry was of each transaction undertaken by the Financial Services Authority using the Government Procurement Card in (i) 2007-08, (ii) 2008-09 and (iii) 2009-10.

Mark Hoban: The Financial Services Authority does not use Government Procurement Cards.

Financial Services: Taxation

William Bain: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his policy is on the adoption of a financial transactions tax by the (a) G20 and (b) G77.

Mark Hoban: The Government believes that any financial transaction tax would have to apply globally to avoid transactions simply relocating to those countries not applying the tax.

Gold and Foreign Exchange Reserves

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his policy is on the future level of UK gold reserves.

Chloe Smith: The UK Government have no plans to purchase or sell holdings of gold from their reserves.

Government Procurement Card

John Glen: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish the (a) purchase date, (b) transaction amount, (c) supplier and (d) level 3 or enhanced transaction entry if held for each individual transaction undertaken by HM Revenue and Customs using the Government Procurement Card in (i) 2008-09 and (ii) 2009-10.

David Gauke: holding answer 14 September 2011
	Information to the level of detail requested is not available except at disproportionate cost. HMRC have available the posting date, category and amount spent via Government Procurement Card (GPC) for transactions over £500, shown in the following tables.
	Information for the whole of the first year (2008-09) and part of the second year (2009-10) includes GPC used by staff prior to their transfer to UKBA under the relevant machinery of government changes.
	HMRC apply tight restrictions to both provision of GPC cards and their use.
	In support of the Government's transparency agenda all Departments will publish GPC transactional level data on their own departmental website, posting a link on:
	www.data.gov.uk
	Publishing data will bring visibility to the use of payment cards and is a proactive step to evidence control and compliance within a payment card programme.
	
		
			 (i) 2008-09 
			 Posting date Category Amount GBP (£) 
			 2008   
			 8 April Hotels and accommodation 840.22 
			 8 April Hotels and accommodation 741.65 
			 10 April Statutory bodies 595.00 
			 10 April Statutory bodies 595.00 
			 10 April Statutory bodies 595.00 
			 15 April Statutory bodies 595.00 
			 18 April Hotels and accommodation 584.67 
			 18 April Hotels and accommodation 1,005.32 
			 29 April Hotels and accommodation 1,314.94 
			 1 May Hotels and accommodation 675.00 
			 6 May Statutory bodies 595.00 
			 6 May Statutory bodies 595.00 
			 12 May Statutory bodies 595.00 
			 14 May Travel—air/rail/road 533.84 
			 19 May Hotels and accommodation 688.16 
			 21 May Statutory bodies 595.00 
			 22 May Hotels and accommodation 786.34 
		
	
	
		
			 22-May Hotels and accommodation 786.34 
			 27 May Statutory bodies 595.00 
			 11 June Hotels and accommodation 692.30 
			 11 June Hotels and accommodation 1,550.67 
			 11 June Hotels and accommodation 692.30 
			 11 June Hotels and accommodation 1,550.67 
			 13 June Print and advertising 703.83 
			 13 June Print and advertising 703.83 
			 13 June Print and advertising 703.83 
			 23 June Hotels and accommodation 730.34 
			 1 July Hotels and accommodation 1,163.64 
			 1 July Auto rental 524.79 
			 1 July Hotels and accommodation 1,163.64 
			 3 July Travel—air/rail/road 574.26 
			 4( )July Hotels and accommodation 595.02 
			 4( )July Restaurants and bars 1,010.00 
			 7 July Statutory bodies 595.00 
			 9 July Travel—air/rail/road 1,941.37 
			 10 July Statutory bodies 595.00 
			 11 July Hotels and accommodation 668.43 
			 15 July Statutory bodies 595.00 
			 16 July Statutory bodies 595.00 
			 28 July General retail and wholesale 854.46 
			 1 August Statutory bodies 595.00 
			 4 August Miscellaneous industrial/commercial supplies 969.87 
			 13 August Travel—air/rail/road 592.22 
			 18 August Hotels and accommodation 4,354.40 
			 19 August Statutory bodies 595.00 
			 22 August Vehicles, servicing and spares 756.14 
			 26 August Hotels and accommodation 4,197.00 
			 1 September Hotels and accommodation 4,004.05 
			 2 September Telecommunication services 701.74 
			 3 September Office stationery, equipment and supplies 604.89 
			 4 September Statutory bodies 595.00 
			 4 September Statutory bodies 595.00 
			 4 September Utilities and non-automotive fuel 608.54 
			 5 September Telecommunication services 505.83 
			 8 September Hotels and accommodation 580.95 
			 9 September Hotels and accommodation 528.05 
			 9 September Hotels and accommodation 528.05 
			 11 September Miscellaneous industrial/commercial supplies 573.60 
			 12 September Travel—air/rail/road 516.28 
			 12 September Travel—air/rail/road 516.28 
			 19 September Auto rental 600.00 
			 22 September Hotels and accommodation 1,805.88 
			 1 October Hotels and accommodation 1,866.76 
			 1 October Statutory bodies 595.00 
			 2 October Hotels and accommodation 554.00 
			 3 October Print and advertising 1,184.40 
			 7 October Hotels and accommodation 507.80 
			 20 October Hotels and accommodation 1,329.45 
			 20 October Hotels and accommodation 829.89 
			 20 October Hotels and accommodation 651.70 
			 22 October Hotels and accommodation 3,662,75 
			 22 October Hotels and accommodation 3,593.47 
			 31 October Mail order/direct selling 1,820.21 
			 3 November Hotels and accommodation 756.30 
			 6 November Statutory bodies 595.00 
			 7 November Hotels and accommodation 598.31 
			 10 November Hotels and accommodation 1,077.95 
			 10 November Statutory bodies 595.00 
		
	
	
		
			 10 November Hotels and accommodation 1,156.64 
			 10 November Travel—air/rail/road 1,133.34 
			 10 November Hotels and accommodation 1,445.80 
			 11 November Hotels and accommodation 659.64 
			 12 November Hotels and accommodation 667.52 
			 12 November Restaurants and bars 509.36 
			 14 November Hotels and accommodation 1,870.69 
			 17 November Hotels and accommodation 2,319.93 
			 20 November Statutory bodies 595.00 
			 28 November Marine supplies 631.10 
			 2 December Hotels and accommodation 873.16 
			 2 December Hotels and accommodation 873.16 
			 3 December Hotels and accommodation 2,009.59 
			 3 December Hotels and accommodation 2,147.27 
			 4 December Travel—air/rail/road 518.21 
			 8 December Statutory bodies 595.00 
			 9 December Statutory bodies 595.00 
			 10 December Travel—air/rail/road 741.60 
			 11 December General retail and wholesale 2,517.22 
			 18 December Statutory bodies 595.00 
			 18 December Statutory bodies 595.00 
			 18 December Statutory bodies 595.00 
			 22 December Hotels and accommodation £629.71 
			 23 December Statutory bodies 595.00 
			 23 December Statutory bodies 595.00 
			    
			 2009   
			 19 January Hotels and accommodation 1,015.20 
			 20 January Travel—air/rail/road 600.08 
			 20 January Travel—air/rail/road 600.08 
			 29 January Hotels and accommodation 545.12 
			 30 January Hotels and accommodation 786.25 
			 23 February Hotels and accommodation 1,009.50 
			 9 March Hotels and accommodation 958.00 
			 13 March Auto rental 822.91 
			 16 March Hotels and accommodation 749.64 
			 16 March Hotels and accommodation 749.64 
			 30 March Auto rental 598.85 
			 1 April Hotels and accommodation 663.70 
			 2 April Hotels and accommodation 3,409.64 
			 2 April Hotels and accommodation 3,478.69 
			 Total (over £500)  118,507.86 
		
	
	
		
			 (ii) 2009-10 
			 Posting date Category Amount GBP (£) 
			 2009   
			 9 April Telecommunication services 598.89 
			 14 April Travel—air/rail/road 550.30 
			 27 April Hotels and accommodation 632.14 
			 1 May Hotels and accommodation 1,531.82 
			 5 May Hotels and accommodation 516.49 
			 27 May Hotels and accommodation 648.93 
			 29 May Hotels and accommodation 667.72 
			 15 June Hotels and accommodation 838.50 
			 16 June Print and advertising 1,699.41 
			 19 June Hotels and accommodation 648.78 
			 23 June Hotels and accommodation 1,584.94 
			 24 June Hotels and accommodation 522.00 
			 25 June Hotels and accommodation 980.00 
			 24 August Travel—air/rail/road 529.08 
			 24 August Travel—air/rail/road 529.08 
			 28 September Hotels and accommodation 1,289.81 
			 28 September Hotels and accommodation 1,289.81 
			 1 October Auto rental 971.01 
		
	
	
		
			 5 October Auto rental 766.44 
			 16 October Training schools 643.99 
			 21 October Hotels and accommodation 3,216.96 
			 21 October Hotels and accommodation 3,233.49 
			 29 October Hotels and accommodation 934.44 
			 29 October Miscellaneous industrial/commercial supplies 857.92 
			 19 November Statutory bodies 1,317.90 
			 25 November Hotels and accommodation 2,069.87 
			 16 December Hotels and accommodation 1,016.13 
			    
			 2010   
			 15 January Hotels and accommodation 695.60 
			 1 February Travel—air/rail/road 532.56 
			 8 February Hardware equipment and supplies 523.24 
			 8 February Travel—air/rail/road 527.28 
			 22 February Statutory bodies 688.77 
			 1 March Hotels and accommodation 1,057.30 
			 3 March Auto rental 1,204,62 
			 10 March Hotels and accommodation 535.09 
			 12 March Hotels and accommodation 1,007.89 
			 23 March Hotels and accommodation 3,595.22 
			 26 March Miscellaneous industrial/commercial supplies 767.28 
			 29 March Miscellaneous industrial/commercial supplies 729.68 
			 Total (over £500)  42,537.45 
			 Note: Many of the entries relate to hotels and accommodation bookings and are for multiple rather than single travellers, mainly overseas, where it is necessary to deliver the Department's objectives, including fiscal fraud enforcement, enforcement of prohibition and restrictions, and the provision of mutual administrative assistance.

Government Procurement Card

Chris Kelly: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many Government Procurement Card transactions were made by his Department's officials withdrawing cash from automated teller machines from 2006-07 to 2009-10; at what cost; and on which dates.

Chloe Smith: Cash withdrawal transactions using Government Procurement Cards held by Treasury staff are automatically blocked by the card issuer.

Housing: Sales

Jo Johnson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proportion of homes in each price band in (a) London, (b) England and (c) the UK that were sold in the last (i) 12, (ii) 24, (iii) 36 and (iv) 48 months were bought or sold by or traded between offshore companies.

Chloe Smith: It is estimated that during 2009-10, around 1% of UK land and property transactions valued at over £40,000 were to a purchaser with a foreign address. With a total of 990,000 transactions during that period, this suggests that around 10,000 were bought by a foreign purchaser.
	This estimate includes both residential and non-residential transactions.
	More detailed information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Income Tax

Mark Field: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people liable for the highest rate of income tax have ceased paying income tax in the UK since the introduction of the 50 pence income tax rate.

David Gauke: This information is not available.
	The Chancellor of the Exchequer, the right hon. Member for Tatton (Mr Osborne), has asked HM Revenue and Customs to assess the revenue from the 50% rate of income tax. As I outlined in debates on the 2011 Finance Bill, HMRC will consider all available evidence around the impact of the 50% rate including data from the 2010-11 self-assessment returns which will become available next year. Until then it is not possible to assess the impact of the introduction of the additional rate on taxpayer numbers.
	The Chancellor of the Exchequer also made clear in his Budget 2011 speech that the 50% rate is a temporary measure. In an age when businesses, capital and people are increasingly mobile, high tax rates send a negative signal to those looking to work and invest in the UK.

National Insurance Contributions

Gloria De Piero: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many businesses in Ashfield constituency have participated in the national insurance holiday scheme.

Eric Ollerenshaw: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many businesses in Lancaster and Fleetwood constituency have participated in the national insurance contributions holiday since the scheme came into effect.

David Gauke: A breakdown of successful applications for the NICs holiday by constituency will be published in the NICs holiday factsheet in the House of Commons Library in the autumn.

Natural Gas: Exploration

James Wharton: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent estimate he has made of tax revenues from fracking.

Chloe Smith: There is currently no commercial shale gas production in the UK. The Treasury has made no recent estimate of potential tax revenues from fracking.

North Sea Oil: Tax Yields

Damian Hinds: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the proportion of tax revenue which would have come from green taxes if he had not introduced the carbon price floor or the increase in the North sea oil supplementary charge in each of the next four years.

Chloe Smith: The Government are currently finalising their definition of environmental taxes. This will establish a baseline against which the Government’s commitment to increase the proportion of revenue from environmental taxes can be measured.
	North sea oil taxes are not environmental taxes and have never been classified as such. The revenue forecast from the change in the supplementary charge was published in table 2.1 on page 42 of Budget 2011.

Office of Government Commerce: Government Procurement Card

Charlie Elphicke: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the (a) date of purchase, (b) amount, (c) supplier and (d) level 3 or enhanced transaction entry was of each transaction undertaken by the Office of Government Commerce using the Government Procurement Card in (i) 2007-08, (ii) 2008-09 and (iii) 2009-10.

Chloe Smith: The information requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	Central Government Departments plan to begin publishing Government Procurement Card transactions over £500 on their websites, starting with 2011-12 Quarter 1 (April to June) data at the end of October and then on a monthly basis.

PAYE: Administration

Eilidh Whiteford: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many incorrect PAYE codes have been issued by HM Revenue and Customs to taxpayers in the last 12 months, and what estimate he has made on the amount of tax (a) overcharged and (b) undercharged as a result of tax code errors in that period.

David Gauke: The exact percentage of incorrect coding notices issued is not known. In any year a small percentage of codes are always incorrect as they do not reflect changes in an individual's circumstances. That is why HMRC send out coding notices well in advance of the start of the new tax year so that customers can review them and report any changes to HMRC.
	The overwhelming majority of PAYE cases (more than 40 million) are correct, so most people have paid the right amount of tax.

Revenue and Customs

Vernon Coaker: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he plans to publish the Government’s response to the Treasury Select Committee’s Sixteenth Report of the session 2010-12, on the Administration and Effectiveness of HM Revenue and Customs; and if he will make a statement.

David Gauke: The Government’s response to the Treasury Select Committee’s Sixteenth Report of the current session on the Administration and Effectiveness of HM Revenue and Customs was sent to the Committee on 30 September 2011. The Committee are now considering the response and will formally publish it in due course.

Revenue and Customs: Closures

Vernon Coaker: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received on the planned closure of HM Revenue and Customs offices; and if he will make a statement.

David Gauke: HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has announced that it will be taking forward 14 office closures in 2012-13, including five offices already announced for closure as part of an earlier review. No representations have been received about these closures since the decisions were announced on 14 September.
	On the same day, HMRC announced the office closure proposals under consideration for 2013-14. Eight offices are proposed for closure in 2013-14 and since the proposals were announced HMRC has received letters about two of them, Redhill and Stockport, each from an MP in a neighbouring constituency.
	Feasibility on these proposals is under way and will inform the decisions to be announced in January 2012.

Revenue and Customs: Correspondence

Frank Field: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what consideration he has given to allowing small businesses to communicate with HM Revenue and Customs by email; and if he will make a statement.

David Gauke: HMRC is responding to customer requests for more e-mail contact by providing a wide range of structured and secure electronic contact services including e-mail. E-mail is now being used successfully in our day to day processes with our large and complex customers and HMRC are looking at how we can expand this to include small and medium enterprises and agents. HMRC are currently consulting:
	http://hmrc.gov.uk/consultations/
	on making an e-mail address a required element of a business's designatory data with a view to gaining greater understanding of, and being able to respond to, customer demands. We want to analyse responses (closing date 31 October) before taking consideration further. Electronic contact solutions are only introduced where HMRC is certain about the authenticity of the person sending the e-mail and where there are strong controls around the data, being sent.

Revenue and Customs: Correspondence

Frank Field: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what consideration he has given to ensuring that small businesses have a named officer in HM Revenue and Customs with whom they deal.

David Gauke: HM Revenue and Customs assigns a designated member of staff to those businesses whose size or complexity mean they need a relationship with HMRC involving regular, ongoing discussion on a range of issues. The level of tax at risk and the complexity involved make this the most cost-effective way of improving both tax compliance and the customer experience.
	HMRC's 4.8 million small and medium sized enterprise (SME) customers tend not to have as complex affairs as those in the large business group, nor have the same need for regular discussion on an ongoing basis.
	The cost of extending the relationship managed service to small businesses is not affordable, nor would it be practical given the needs of these customers.
	Instead, HMRC aims to make it as easy as possible for compliant customers to self-serve with certainty, while providing additional help to those that need it.

Revenue and Customs: Finance

Vernon Coaker: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what meetings he has had with trade unions to discuss the effect of the comprehensive spending review on HM Revenue and Customs.

David Gauke: Treasury Ministers and officials meet with a wide range of organisations and individuals in the public and private sectors as part of the usual policymaking process. As was the case with previous Administrations, it is not the Government's practice to provide details of all such meetings.

Revenue and Customs: Government Procurement Card

Charlie Elphicke: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the (a) date of purchase, (b) amount, (c) supplier and (d) level 3 or enhanced transaction entry was of each transaction undertaken by HM Revenue and Customs using the Government Procurement Card in (i) 2007-08, (ii) 2008-09 and (iii) 2009-10.

David Gauke: Information to the level of detail requested is not available except at disproportionate cost. HMRC has available the posting date, category and amount spent via Government Procurement Card for transactions over £500, shown in the following tables.
	HMRC are not responsible for how the card supplier/merchant categorise goods/services and some descriptions may be misleading, e.g. Catering and Catering Supplies in 2007 was for accommodation; Restaurant and Bars relates in most cases to international business hospitality. Further investigation can be undertaken for specific items where required but not across the whole of the reported spend due to the disproportionate cost of doing so.
	Many of the entries relate to hotels and accommodation bookings and in most cases are for multiple rather than single travellers, mainly overseas, where it is necessary to deliver the Department's objectives, including fiscal fraud enforcement, enforcement of prohibition and restrictions, and the provision of mutual administrative assistance.
	Information for the whole of the 2007-08, 2008-09 and part of 2009-10 includes GPC use by staff prior to their transfer to UKBA under the relevant machinery of government changes.
	HMRC applies tight restrictions to both provision of GPC cards and their use and spend is tightly controlled and strictly follows the rules and standards of Government Accounting.
	
		
			 (i) 2007-08 
			 Posting date Category Amount (£) 
			 2007   
			 10 April Hotels and Accommodation 700.81 
			 11 April Travel—air/rail/road 694.20 
			 11 April Travel—air/rail/road 694.20 
			 11 April Hotels and Accommodation 1,093.55 
			 13 April Professional services 1,403.00 
			 20 April Travel—air/rail/road 2,539.80 
			 23 April Travel—air/rail/road 500.00 
			 23 April Hotels and Accommodation 966.11 
			 24 April Hotels and Accommodation 666.31 
		
	
	
		
			 24 April Hotels and Accommodation 705.51 
			 26 April Travel—air/rail/road 570.00 
			 26 April Travel—air/rail/road 709.86 
			 27 April Hotels and Accommodation 812.40 
			 27 April Hotels and Accommodation 1,471.40 
			 30 April Travel—air/rail/road 508.80 
			 30 April Travel—air/rail/road 695.40 
			 1 May Travel—air/rail/road 942.59 
			 4 May Hotels and Accommodation 592.31 
			 4 May Hotels and Accommodation 592.31 
			 9 May Hotels and Accommodation 900.00 
			 14 May Hotels and Accommodation 1,735.53 
			 15 May Hotels and Accommodation 500.00 
			 15 May Restaurants and Bars 702.73 
			 17 May Restaurants and Bars 560.00 
			 17 May Hotels and Accommodation 910.00 
			 21 May Hotels and Accommodation 557.50 
			 21 May Travel—air/rail/road 615.92 
			 23 May General Retail and Wholesale 700.74 
			 24 May Professional services 671.53 
			 24 May General Retail and Wholesale 2,076.66 
			 29 May Computer Equipment and Services 597.00 
			 29 May Hotels and Accommodation 879.07 
			 1 June Hotels and Accommodation 2,376.00 
			 5 June Hotels and Accommodation 588.42 
			 6 June Hotels and Accommodation 896.00 
			 7 June Hotels and Accommodation 1,018.73 
			 7 June Hotels and Accommodation 1,018.73 
			 8 June Hotels and Accommodation 1,437.08 
			 14 June Hotels and Accommodation 500.00 
			 18 June Travel—air/rail/road 2,211.39 
			 18 June Travel—air/rail/road 2,211.39 
			 19 June Travel—air/rail/road 563.40 
			 19 June Travel—air/rail/road 754.70 
			 20 June Travel—air/rail/road 555.84 
			 21 June Hotels and Accommodation 641.79 
			 21 June Hotels and Accommodation 1,124.40 
			 22 Jun Hotels and Accommodation 822.00 
			 25 June Travel—air/rail/road 1,044.40 
			 27 June Hotels and Accommodation 540.00 
			 27 June Hotels and Accommodation 1,439.79 
			 27 June Hotels and Accommodation 1,799.75 
			 28 June Hotels and Accommodation 4,190.00 
			 29 June Computer Equipment and Services 515.00 
			 2 July Catering and Catering Supplies 639.60 
			 2 July Hotels and Accommodation 2,325.02 
			 16 July Restaurants and Bars 575.35 
			 16 July Hotels and Accommodation 750.00 
			 16 July Hotels and Accommodation 5,116.09 
			 17 July Hotels and Accommodation 537.28 
			 17 July Miscellaneous industrial/commercial supplies 681.03 
			 18 July Hotels and Accommodation 600.00 
			 23 July Hotels and Accommodation 529.48 
			 23 July Travel—air/rail/road 560.20 
			 23 July Travel—air/rail/road 945.63 
			 23 July Travel—air/rail/road 945.63 
			 23 July Travel—air/rail/road 953.31 
			 23 July Hotels and Accommodation 1,345.88 
			 24 July Hotels and Accommodation 4,445.75 
			 3 August Hotels and Accommodation ¦ 2,160.00 
			 6 August General Retail and Wholesale 3,724.75 
			 7 August Professional services 686.93 
			 14 August Books and Periodicals 1,159.05 
			 20 August Travel—air/rail/road 632.88 
		
	
	
		
			 23 August Travel—air/rail/road 992.01 
			 24 August Hotels and Accommodation 630.00 
			 29 August Travel—air/rail/road 502.43 
			 29 August Hotels and Accommodation 2,703.50 
			 3l August Books and Periodicals 649.60 
			 6 September Hotels and Accommodation 719.29 
			 7 September Hotels and Accommodation 1,744.88 
			 12 September Hotels and Accommodation, 697.50 
			 24 September Hotels and Accommodation 855.54 
			 24 September Hotels and Accommodation 855.54 
			 5 October Restaurants and Bars 514.15. 
			 8 October Hotels and Accommodation 503.76 
			 8 October Hotels and Accommodation 503.76 
			 11 October Travel—air/rail/road 575.65 
			 12 October Medical Supplies and Services 2,661.38 
			 17 October Travel—air/rail/road 527.88 
			 24 October Hotels and Accommodation 801.90 
			 29 October Hotels and Accommodation 1,682.48 
			 8 November Travel—air/rail/road 561.30 
			 8 November Travel—air/rail/road 2,336.50 
			 13 November Medical Supplies and Services 574.69 
			 13 November Hotels and Accommodation 580.95 
			 23 November Hotels and Accommodation 597.82 
			 26 November Hotels and Accommodation 1,372.73 
			 30 November Travel—air/rail/road 700.60 
			 5 December Hotels and Accommodation 1,148.87 
			 5 December Hotels and Accommodation 1,358.65 
			 5 December Hotels and Accommodation 1,428.32 
			 6 December Travel—air/rail/road 741.69 
			 7 December Hotels and Accommodation 804.87 
			 12 December Hotels and Accommodation 822.05 
			 18 December Restaurants and Bars 559.60 
			 31 December Travel—air/rail/road 992.30 
			    
			 2008   
			 14 February Miscellaneous industrial/commercial supplies 699.13 
			 15 February Hotels and Accommodation 611.05 
			 21 February Auto rental 1,099.42 
			 21 February Hotels and Accommodation 1,114.57 
			 22 February Hotels and Accommodation 1,104.11 
			 25 February Auto rental 534.71 
			 28 February Travel—air/rail/road 769.54 
			 28 February Travel—air/rail/road 1,444.91 
			 29 February Hotels and Accommodation 549.29 
			 3 March Hotels and Accommodation 717.07 
			 3 March Travel—air/rail/road 1,526.64 
			 7 March Hotels and Accommodation 594.18 
			 18 March Travel—air/rail/road 555.53 
			 26 March Hotels and Accommodation 722.89 
			 4 April Statutory bodies 595.00 
			 4 April Statutory bodies 595.00 
		
	
	
		
			 (Ii) 2008-09 
			 Posting date Category Amount (£) 
			 2008   
			 8 April Hotels and accommodation 840.22 
			 8 April Hotels and accommodation 741.65 
			 10 April Statutory bodies 595.00 
			 10 April Statutory bodies 595.00 
			 10 April Statutory bodies 595.00 
			 15 April Statutory bodies 595.00 
			 18 April Hotels and accommodation 584.67 
			 18 April Hotels and accommodation 1,005.32 
		
	
	
		
			 29 April Hotels and accommodation 1,314.94 
			 1 May Hotels and accommodation 675.00 
			 6 May Statutory bodies 595.00 
			 6 May Statutory bodies 595.00 
			 12 May Statutory bodies 595.00 
			 14 May Travel—air/rail/road 533.84 
			 19 May Hotels and accommodation 688.16 
			 21 May Statutory bodies 595.00 
			 22 May Hotels and accommodation 786.34 
			 22 May Hotels and accommodation 786.34 
			 27 May Statutory bodies 595.00 
			 11 June Hotels and accommodation 692.30 
			 11 June Hotels and accommodation 1,550.67 
			 11 June Hotels and accommodation 692.30 
			 11 June Hotels and accommodation 1,550.67 
			 13 June Print and advertising 703.83 
			 13 June Print and advertising 703.83 
			 13 June Print and advertising 703.83 
			 23 June Hotels and accommodation 730.34 
			 1 July Hotels and accommodation 1,163.64 
			 1 July Auto rental 524.79 
			 1 July Hotels and accommodation 1,163.64 
			 3 July Travel—air/rail/road 574.26 
			 4 July Hotels and accommodation 595.02 
			 4 July Restaurants and bars 1,010.00 
			 7 July Statutory bodies 595.00 
			 9 July Travel—air/rail/road 1,941.37 
			 10 July Statutory bodies 595.00 
			 11 July Hotels and accommodation 668.43 
			 15 July Statutory bodies 595.00 
			 16 July Statutory bodies 595.00 
			 28 July General retail and wholesale 854.46 
			 1 August Statutory bodies 595.00 
			 4 August Miscellaneous industrial/commercial supplies 969.87 
			 13 August Travel—air/rail/road 592.22 
			 18 August Hotels and accommodation 4,354.40 
			 19 August Statutory bodies 595.00 
			 22 August Vehicles, servicing and spares 756.14 
			 26 August Hotels and accommodation 4,197.00 
			 1 September Hotels and accommodation 4,004.05 
			 2 September Telecommunication services 701.74 
			 3 September Office stationery, equipment and supplies 604.89 
			 4 September Statutory bodies 595.00 
			 4 September Statutory bodies 595.00 
			 4 September Utilities and non automotive fuel 608.54 
			 5 September Telecommunication services 505.83 
			 8 September Hotels and accommodation 580.95 
			 9 September Hotels and accommodation 528.05 
			 9 September Hotels and accommodation 528.05 
			 11 September Miscellaneous industrial/commercial supplies 573.60 
			 12 September Travel—air/rail/road 516.28 
			 12 September Travel—air/rail/road 516.28 
			 19 September Auto rental 600.00 
			 22 September Hotels and accommodation 1,805.88 
			 1 October Hotels and accommodation 1,86676 
			 1 October Statutory bodies 595.00 
			 2 October Hotels and accommodation 554.00 
			 3 October Print and advertising 1,184.40 
			 7 October Hotels and accommodation 507.80 
			 20 October Hotels and accommodation 1,329.45 
			 20 October Hotels and accommodation 829.89 
			 20 October Hotels and accommodation 651.70 
			 22 October Hotels and accommodation 3,662.75 
		
	
	
		
			 22 October Hotels and accommodation 3,593.47 
			 31 October Mail order/direct selling 1,820.21 
			 3 November Hotels and accommodation 756.30 
			 6 November Statutory bodies 595.00 
			 7 November Hotels and accommodation 598.31 
			 10 November Hotels and accommodation 1,077.95 
			 10 November Statutory bodies 595.00 
			 10 November Hotels and accommodation 1,156.64 
			 10 November Travel—air/rail/road 1,133.34 
			 10 November Hotels and accommodation 1,445.80 
			 11 November Hotels and accommodation 659.64 
			 12 November Hotels and accommodation 667.52 
			 12 November Restaurants and bars 509.36 
			 14 November Hotels and accommodation 1,870.69 
			 17 November Hotels and accommodation 2,319.93 
			 20 November Statutory bodies 595.00 
			 28 November Marine supplies 631.10 
			 2 December Hotels and accommodation 873.16 
			 2 December Hotels and accommodation 873.16 
			 3 December Hotels and accommodation 2,009.59 
			 3 December Hotels and accommodation 2,147.27 
			 4 December Travel—air/rail/road 518.21 
			 8 December Statutory bodies 595.00 
			 9 December Statutory bodies 595.00 
			 10 December Travel—air/rail/road 741.60 
			 11 December General retail and wholesale 2,517.22 
			 18 December Statutory bodies 595.00 
			 18 December Statutory bodies 595.00 
			 18 December Statutory bodies 595.00 
			 22 December Hotels and accommodation 629.71 
			 23 December Statutory bodies 595.00 
			 23 December Statutory bodies 595.00 
			    
			 2009   
			 19 January Hotels and accommodation 1,015.20 
			 20 January9 Travel—air/rail/road 600.08 
			 20 January Travel—air/rail/road 600.08 
			 29 January Hotels and accommodation 545.12 
			 30 January Hotels and accommodation 786.25 
			 23 February Hotels and accommodation 1,009.50 
			 9 March Hotels and accommodation 958.00 
			 13 March Auto rental 822.91 
			 16 March Hotels and accommodation 749.64 
			 16 March Hotels and accommodation 749.64 
			 30 March Auto rental 598.85 
			 1 April Hotels and accommodation 663.70 
			 2 April Hotels and accommodation 3,409.64 
			 2 April Hotels and accommodation 3,478.69 
		
	
	
		
			 (ii) 2009-10 
			 Posting date Category Amount (£) 
			 2009   
			 9 April Telecommunication services 598.89 
			 14 April Travel—air/rail/road 550.30 
			 27 April Hotels and accommodation 632.14 
			 1 May Hotels and accommodation 1,531.82 
			 5 May Hotels and accommodation 516.49 
			 27 May Hotels and accommodation 648.93 
			 29 May Hotels and accommodation 667.72 
			 15 June Hotels and accommodation 838.50 
			 16 June Print and advertising 1,699.41 
			 19 June Hotels and accommodation 648.78 
			 23 June Hotels and accommodation 1,584.94 
		
	
	
		
			 24 June Hotels and accommodation 522.00 
			 25 June Hotels and accommodation 980.00 
			 24 August Travel—air/rail/road 529.08 
			 24 August Travel—air/rail/road 529.08 
			 28 September Hotels and accommodation 1,289.81 
			 28 September. Hotels and accommodation 1,289.81 
			 1 October Auto rental 971.01 
			 5 October Auto rental 766.44 
			 16 October Training schools 643.99 
			 21 October Hotels and accommodation 3,216.96 
			 21 October Hotels and accommodation 3,233.49 
			 29 October Hotels and accommodation 934.44 
			 29 October Miscellaneous industrial/commercial supplies 857.92 
			 19 November Statutory bodies 1,317.90 
			 25 November Hotels and accommodation 2,069.87 
			 l6 December Hotels and accommodation 1,016.13 
			 15 January Hotels and accommodation 695.60 
			 01 February Travel—air/rail/road 532.56 
			 08 February Hardware equipment and supplies 523.24 
			 08 February Travel—air/rail/road 527.28 
			 22 February Statutory bodies 688.77 
			    
			 2010   
			 1 March Hotels and accommodation 1,057.30 
			 3 March Auto rental 1,204.62 
			 10 March Hotels and accommodation 535.09 
			 12 March Hotels and accommodation 1,007.89 
			 23 March Hotels and accommodation 3,595.22 
			 26 March Miscellaneous industrial/commercial supplies 587.07 
			 29 March Miscellaneous industrial/commercial supplies 767.28 
			 29 March Miscellaneous industrial/commercial supplies 729.68

Revenue and Customs: Manpower

Mike Hancock: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he expects the first 100 of the new anti-evasion and avoidance officers in HM Revenue and Customs to be in post.

David Gauke: The first 100 of the anti-evasion and avoidance officers are already in post and operational.

Revenue and Customs: Manpower

Mike Hancock: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many of the proposed new anti-evasion and avoidance officers he expects to be redeployed from existing posts in HM Revenue and Customs.

David Gauke: There are currently no plans to use any external recruitment other than the annual recruitment of graduates. All of the new anti-evasion and avoidance officers will therefore be redeployed from elsewhere in HMRC or from other Government Departments.

Revenue and Customs: Manpower

Mike Hancock: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the cost to HM Revenue and Customs of employing the proposed new anti-evasion and avoidance officers.

David Gauke: These new posts are part of the reinvestment of £917 million over four years, announced in the 2010 spending review. This will see a redeployment of 2,250 staff this year. The annual costs of all the staff being redeployed and recruited in 2011-12 will be about £101 million.

Shipping: Carbon Emissions

Gavin Shuker: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his negotiating position is for the G20 Finance Ministers October 2011 meeting on proposals for an international levy on shipping to cut carbon emissions and raise climate change finance.

Chloe Smith: The UK Government believe a global emissions trading system would be the best way of reducing international shipping emissions effectively and efficiently and has submitted a proposal on such a system to the International Maritime Organization. The UK has also committed to spend £2.9 billion of international climate finance over the spending review period.

Social Lending

William Bain: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what support his Department plans to provide for social lending through credit unions and community-based initiatives in each of the next four financial years.

Mark Hoban: The Government announced in July the establishment of Big Society Capital, the new operating name for the "Big Society Bank". This will play a critical role in accelerating the growth of social investment in the UK by investing in social finance intermediaries, including community development finance institutions (CDFIs). This initiative is being funded by dormant accounts as well as by a £200 million investment from the four main UK banks under Project Merlin.
	Since 2006 the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has been investing in the capacity of credit unions and other community providers to offer access to savings, banking, budgeting and affordable credit services. Credit unions and other community providers are well placed to serve people who traditionally find it difficult use mainstream financial services. The service offers a real alternative to licensed high cost home credit and other lenders, and to illegal loan sharks.
	Subject to the findings of a feasibility study, DWP has proposed a new modernisation and expansion fund of up to £73 million over the next four years to support credit unions that are ready and willing to make the changes required to expand their services to many more people at sustainable operating costs.

Stocks and Shares

William Bain: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment his Department has made of the effect on speculative activity of introducing higher capital requirements for financial institutions engaged in proprietary trading in derivatives.

Mark Hoban: A package of reforms designed to strengthen the safety of trading book activities were agreed by the Basel committee in July 2009. These reforms will increase the amount of capital that banks are required to hold against their trading book by two to three times and will significantly enhance the prudential safety of trading activities. These reforms will be implemented in the EU though the capital requirements directive 3, which will come into force by the end of 2011.

Tax Allowances

Graeme Morrice: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps he is taking to ensure that (a) employers and (b) employees have access to accurate and up-to-date information on types of tax relief available.

David Gauke: HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) provide comprehensive help and guidance to employers and employees on its website which is regularly reviewed and updated:
	http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/index.htm
	Reliefs available to individuals and employees are also detailed in the self-assessment tax return and accompanying guidance notes.

Tax Allowances: Commuters

Graeme Morrice: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent assessment his Department has made of the potential use of incentives in the tax system to encourage employees to use more environmentally friendly means of transport to travel to and from their place of work.

Chloe Smith: A range of incentives are in place to encourage more environmentally friendly means of travel, such as the Cycle to Work scheme and employer-subsidised local bus services. Electric vehicles are not subject to fuel duty and are exempt from vehicle excise duty (VED) and company car tax (CCT). Fuel duty, VED and CCT also support the take-up of fuel efficient vehicles.

Tax Avoidance: Internet

Priti Patel: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many incidents of illegal avoidance of tax, VAT and import duty in relation to the selling of products through online (a) businesses and (b) auction sites have been recorded in each of the last five years; and for which countries of origin.

David Gauke: The information requested can be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Tax Evasion

Eilidh Whiteford: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many (a) individuals and (b) organisations have been (i) investigated by HM Revenue and Customs for tax evasion and (ii) prosecuted for such offences since May 2010.

David Gauke: HMRC does not hesitate to pursue a prosecution; however, cost-effective civil settlement procedures are used in the majority of evasion cases. This represents excellent value for the Exchequer, as all undeclared tax is repaid and they also pay a penalty which can be up to 100% of the tax evaded. Every year HMRC collects millions of pounds of evaded tax using these well-established methods.
	A disaggregated breakdown of HMRC's interventions between individuals and organisations is available only at a disproportionate cost.
	Details of the number of cases prosecuted for income tax, corporation tax, VAT and excise evasion are:
	1 April 2010 to 31 March 2011: 385
	1 April 2011 to 31 August 2011: 123.

Tax Yields: Environment Protection

Damian Hinds: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the proportion of tax revenue which will come from green taxes in each of the next four years resulting from measures introduced (a) since and (b) before May 2010.

Chloe Smith: The Government are currently finalising their definition of environmental taxes. This will establish a baseline against which the Government's commitment to increase the proportion of revenue from environmental taxes can be measured:
	The estimated total percentage of revenue raised by environment taxes, as a proportion of all taxes in the March 2010 Budget was forecast as being 0.4%. The previous Government defined, the following as environmental taxes: landfill tax, aggregates levy, climate change levy and the EU Emissions Trading Scheme.

Tax Yields: Environment Protection

Damian Hinds: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proportion of tax revenue came from green taxes in each year since 1997.

Chloe Smith: The Government are currently finalising their definition of environmental taxes. This will establish a baseline against which the Government's commitment to increase the proportion of revenue from environmental taxes can be measured.
	The previous Government included the following taxes as environmental taxes: landfill tax, climate change levy, aggregates levy and EU Emissions Trading Scheme. The information requested is set out in the following table:
	
		
			  Environmental taxes as percentage of total tax revenues 
			 1997 0.1 
			 1998 0.1 
			 1999 0.1 
			 2000 0.1 
			 2001 0.3 
			 2002 0.4 
			 2003 0.4 
			 2004 0.4 
			 2005 0.4 
			 2006 0.4 
			 2007-08 0.4 
			 2008-09 0.4 
			 2009-10 0.4

Taxation: Accountability

Graeme Morrice: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent discussions he has had with his international counterparts on steps to increase global tax transparency.

David Gauke: Recent discussions of global tax transparency have taken place in the context of G20 meetings. The UK supports G20 work on promoting the Global Forum on Transparency and Exchange of Information, which is carrying out a rigorous programme of peer reviews to encourage all countries to meet international standards of tax transparency.

Taxation: Carers

Gordon Banks: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what changes affecting kinship carers he has made to the tax system since 6 April 2011.

David Gauke: No changes specific to kinship carers have been made to the tax system since 6 April 2011. However, extra-statutory simplified tax arrangements previously available to certain carers ended on 5 April 2011 after the Government introduced qualifying care relief. This new relief extended foster care relief to certain other carers, including those providing kinship care under specified social care schemes, who share their homes and daily family life with an adult or child placed with them.

Taxation: Environment Protection

Alan Whitehead: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received from the European Commission on the carbon floor price.

Chloe Smith: The Treasury has not received any representations from the European Commission about the carbon price floor.
	The Government continue to engage with the European Commission on a wide range of issues including as part of our overall policy development related to the electricity market reform proposals.

Taxation: Environment Protection

Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the likely combined revenue to the Exchequer from the carbon price floor and the EU Emissions Trading System up to 2015-16.

Chloe Smith: Budget 2011 set out the estimated revenue from the carbon price floor and the EU Emissions Trading System up to 2015-16. The combined revenue is estimated to be £2,740 million in 2013-14; £3,170 million in 2014-15; and £3,610 million in 2015-16.

Taxation: Football

Don Foster: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the sum owed to the Exchequer by football clubs in the Premier League and Football League (a) at the end of each of the previous five tax years and (b) on the most recent date for which figures are available.

David Gauke: The Government do not hold data prior to the year ended March 2009. Neither do we collate these data at the exact year end. We have provided the March figures for each of the past three years.
	
		
			 £ 
			  Premier League Football League Total 
			 Current 0 187,466 187,466 
			 29 March 2011 0 732,517 732,517 
			 5 March 2010 14,407,054 777,825 15,184,879 
			 6 March 2009 16,773,867 8,205,111 24,978,978 
		
	
	These totals only include PAYE/NIC and VAT and are only a snapshot, valid only on the date taken and, as with any snapshot, the amounts are likely to have been significantly different if taken on a different day as liabilities can become due and payments can be made on a daily basis.

Taxation: Football

Don Foster: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the monetary value of tax receipts from income tax received from professional footballers in each of the last 10 financial years.

David Gauke: The information requested is not available specifically for association football players.

Third Sector

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much direct funding his Department provided to each civil society organisation it funded in (a) 2010-11, (b) 2011-12, (c) 2012-13, (d) 2013-14 and (e) 2014-15; and if he will make a statement.

Chloe Smith: The Treasury does not directly fund any civil society organisations.

VAT

Pauline Latham: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what impact assessment his Department undertook on the likely effect on the express and mail industries of the reduction of low value consignment relief for goods from the Channel Islands and third countries; and if he will publish any such impact assessment.

David Gauke: A tax information and impact assessment was published alongside the 2011 Finance Bill last spring. Officials maintain a regular dialogue with both Royal Mail and the fast parcel industry about the impact of possible future changes to LVCR on their businesses and their views will be taken into account in deciding how to prevent LVCR being exploited.

VAT

Robert Halfon: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent estimate he has made of the administrative cost to businesses of charging and claiming back VAT between VAT-registered firms.

David Gauke: HMRC has made no assessment of the administrative costs that businesses specifically incur in charging and claiming VAT between VAT-registered businesses.

VAT: Exemptions

Eilidh Whiteford: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what consideration he has given to extending exemptions from VAT.

David Gauke: All taxes, including VAT and the scope of its exemptions, are kept under review.

VAT: Housing Improvement

Bill Esterson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  if he will assess the (a) likely effect on the availability of housing and (b) the number of jobs which would be created by reducing the rate of VAT on renovation and refurbishment of property to 5% over (i) one year, (ii) five years and (iii) 10 years;
	(2)  what assessment he has made of the likely effects of a reduction in the rate of VAT applied to property renovation and refurbishment on the amount of VAT collected in the (a) first, (b) fifth and (c) 10th year following such a reduction.

David Gauke: The Exchequer cost, in the absence of behavioural change, of reducing the rate of VAT applied to residential property renovation and refurbishment is estimated at (a) £2.2 billion in the first year, (b) £2.4 billion in the fifth year and (c) £2.9 billion in the 10th year.
	The cost of the relief would have to be met from additional taxation elsewhere, which would lead to job losses that would offset any job gains in the building sector, or through additional borrowing, which would risk increasing interest rates. Higher interest rates would have an adverse impact on families and small businesses, including businesses in the building sector.

VAT: Tourism

Ivan Lewis: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the effect on the tourism industry of the increase in the rate of VAT.

David Gauke: No specific assessment has been made of the economic impact of the VAT rate increase on the tourism industry. The impact assessment published with the Budget in June 2010 provides information on the compliance costs to business overall of the VAT rate increase, but not at sector level.

Working Tax Credit

David Hanson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what methodology he used to calculate the estimated savings to the public purse which he expects to arise from changes to the working tax credit; and if he will place in the Library a copy of these calculations.

David Gauke: The methodology used to calculate savings to the Exchequer from changes to tax credits at Budget 2010 and spending review 2010 can be found in the accompanying policy costings documents: “Budget 2010 policy costings” is available at:
	http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/d/junebudget_costings.pdf
	“Spending Review 2010 policy costings” is available at:
	http://cdn.hm-treasury.gov.uk/sr2010_policycostings.pdf

Written Questions: Government Responses

Christopher Leslie: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he plans to answer Question (a) 68073, (b) 68074 and (c) 68075, tabled on 19 July 2011 for answer on 5 September 2011.

Chloe Smith: The Treasury has replied to the hon. Member's questions.

DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER

Electoral Register

Fiona Mactaggart: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what estimate he has made of the effects of his legislative proposals on the number of people on the electoral register; and if he will make a statement.

Mark Harper: The Government are funding research to understand the current state of the electoral register which will help us to better understand the way in which the move to individual registration will have an impact.
	The Government will do everything they can to maintain the completeness of the electoral register. This includes phasing in the move to Individual Registration over two years so that people on the register who do not apply under the new system do not lose their vote at the 2015 General Election. Every eligible elector will be asked in 2014 to register under the new system: this will include personal invites to people on the register, inquiries to households where no one is registered or people have moved, reminder letters and face-to-face doorstep canvassers. There will also be a publicity campaign run by the Electoral Commission and we are testing data matching to identify people missing from the register and looking at how we can increase the choices people have over how to register, including greater use of online registration.

Electoral Registration

Graeme Morrice: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the evidential basis is for his proposals on future requirements for people to co-operate with electoral registration officers compiling a register of electors.

Mark Harper: It is currently not compulsory to be registered to vote and this will not change under the Government’s individual electoral registration (IER) proposals. It is an offence at present for anyone not to provide information when required to do so by an electoral registration officer (ERO), for example, in response to the household canvass form. The Government propose to retain this offence under the new system, however, it is not proposed to create a new offence for an individual failing to respond to an invitation to register. We believe that the act of registering is one of personal responsibility, and as such there should be no compulsion for an individual to make an application to register to vote.

E-mail

Jack Dromey: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister whether any (a) Ministers, (b) officials and (c) special advisers in his office use private e-mail accounts for the conduct of Government business.

Nicholas Clegg: I and the officials and special advisers in my office conduct Government business in accordance with the Ministerial Code, the Code of Conduct for Special Advisers and the Civil Service Code.

Hillsborough Stadium

Steve Rotheram: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what discussions he has had with the Prime Minister since his appointment on the unredacted release of the Hillsborough Cabinet minutes.

Nicholas Clegg: The Prime Minister, the Secretary of State for the Home Department, the right hon. Member for Maidenhead (Mrs May), and I agree on the need to provide full transparency about the Hillsborough disaster through full public disclosure. All the Cabinet Office papers have been shared with the Hillsborough Independent Panel and the Government are happy for all the papers to be released as soon as the panel so decides, in consultation with the families. The Prime Minister, Home Secretary and I expect them to be shared with the Hillsborough families first and then with the wider public.

House of Lords: Elections

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what timetable he expects to set is for the introduction of elections to the House of Lords; and if he will make a statement.

Mark Harper: A Joint Committee of both Houses is undertaking pre-legislative scrutiny of the Government's draft House of Lords Reform Bill and it is due to report by 29 February 2012. A Government Bill will be introduced in the next session of Parliament. The Government hope that the first elections to the reformed House of Lords will take place on 7 May 2015.

Prisoners

Philip Hollobone: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister which categories of prisoners he expects to be enfranchised.

Mark Harper: The European Court of Human Rights has granted an extension to the deadline for implementing prisoner voting rights that was set in the Greens and MT judgment against the UK.
	This is because the court is considering an Italian prisoner voting rights case—Scoppola v. Italy.
	It is right to consider the final Scoppola judgment and the wider legal context before setting out next steps on prisoner voting.
	The Government will express their views on the principles raised in that case, and we will be arguing that it is for Parliament to decide the way forward on this issue.

CABINET OFFICE

Big Lottery Fund: Manpower

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many members of staff worked for the Big Lottery Fund in (a) 2010-11 and (b) 2011-12; how many will work for the fund in each of the next three years; and if he will make a statement.

Nick Hurd: The number of staff that worked for the Big Lottery Fund during 2010-11 and 2011-12 are set out in the following table:
	
		
			  Number of staff (FTE) 
			 2010-11 982 
			 2011-12(1) 986 
			 (1) Figures for this year are an estimate based on the year to date. 
		
	
	The figures exclude non-executives as well as those employed by the national lottery promotions unit. The Big Lottery Fund does not hold staff figures for future years.

Big Society Capital

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what representations he received on the Big Society Bank in each month since June 2010; and if he will make a statement.

Nick Hurd: I have received numerous representations in relation to the Big Society Bank since June 2010 including correspondence, meetings and parliamentary business. Ministers are actively engaging with civil society organisations across England through a programme of regional events, as well as working closely with the devolved Administrations to develop policy on the Big Society Bank.
	Progress on the Big Society Bank is published on the Cabinet Office website:
	http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/content/big-society-capital

Big Society Capital

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many representations he has received on Big Society Capital in each month since June 2010; and if he will make a statement.

Nick Hurd: As Minster for Civil Society, I have received numerous representations in relation to the Big Society Capital since June 2010 including correspondence, meetings and parliamentary business.
	Ministers are actively engaging with civil society organisations across England through a programme of regional events, as well as working closely with the devolved Administrations to develop policy on the Big Society Capital.

Big Society Capital

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office if he will publish the (a) business plan and (b) accounts and (c) minutes of each board meeting of Big Society Capital since its establishment; and if he will make a statement.

Nick Hurd: Big Society Capital is a private company and so it is not for Government to publish its business plan, accounts and board minutes.
	The outline proposal for Big Society Capital submitted by Sir Ronald Cohen and Nick O'Donohoe, and endorsed by Cabinet Office Ministers, states that transparency will be one of Big Society Capital's guiding principles, and commits to clear reporting of its financial results and social impact of its investments.
	The Government publish progress on establishing the Big Society Bank on the Cabinet Office website:
	http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/content/big-society-capital

Charitable Donations: Business

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what estimate he has made of the level of charitable giving (a) in total, (b) by UK-owned businesses and (c) by businesses based in the UK in each of the last three years.

Nick Hurd: The Cabinet Office collated existing evidence on levels of giving which was published in the Giving Green Paper in December last year. Figures from the Charities Aid Foundation (CAF) and the National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO) estimated that in 2009-10, 28.4 million adults (56%) donated to charity in a typical month accounting for £10.6 billion of total annual charitable donations. This represented a rise of over £400 million from its 2008-09 level of £10.2 billion.
	The Cabinet Office does not produce any estimates for donations by UK-owned businesses. Official estimates available from HMRC only account for a subset of total donations through gift aid and covenants.
	In 2009, the total value of worldwide community investment including cash, time, and in-kind donations of the largest 300 UK corporate donors was £1.9 billion—the highest figure reported to date.

Charities

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many investigations into the activities of UK registered charities were launched by the Charity Commission in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

Nick Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the Charity Commission. I have asked the Commission's chief executive to reply.
	Letter from Sam Younger, dated 17 October 2011
	.
	When concerns are reported to us, we assess them against our published risk and proportionality framework and decide on the most appropriate action to take. When serious concerns are reported, we may open an investigation or, in the most serious cases, a statutory inquiry under s. 8 of the Charities Act 2006.
	The number of investigations opened in each year is as follows:
	
		
			  Number 
			 2010-11 144 
			 2009-10 180 
			 2008-09 168 
			 2007-08 170 
			 2006-07 303 
		
	
	The number of statutory inquiries opened in each year is as follows:
	
		
			  Number 
			 2010-11 3 
			 2009-10 9 
			 2008-09 19 
			 2007-08 19 
			 2006-07 26 
		
	
	I hope this information is helpful.

Charities

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many investigations into the activities of UK registered charities the Charity Commission has planned for as part of its budgetary process in (a) 2011-12, (b) 2012-13, (c) 2013-14 and (d) 2014-15; and if he will make a statement.

Nick Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the Charity Commission. I have asked the Commission's chief executive to reply.
	Letter from Sam Younger, dated 17 October 2011
	.
	The Charity Commission does not set quotas or have numerical limits for how many investigations it carries out, or for its other work related to investigations. All cases of concerns are, and will continue to be, examined against our risk framework to determine the most appropriate and proportionate course of action, which may in some cases include an investigation.
	I hope this information is helpful.

Charities

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many charities that were investigated by the Charity Commission closed voluntarily or were shut down (a) within 12 months and (b) within six months of the investigation completing in each year since 2007-08; and if he will make a statement.

Nick Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the Charity Commission. I have asked the commission's chief executive to reply.
	Letter from Sam Younger, dated 17 October 2011
	.
	We do not monitor these statistics. Where we know that a charity has wound up or been taken off the Register of Charities, we will refer to this in our inquiry reports.
	I hope this information is helpful.

Charities

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many public benefit assessments the Charity Commission undertook in (a) 2009-10 and (b) 2010-11; how many it expects to undertake in each year of the comprehensive spending review period; and if he will make a statement.

Nick Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the Charity Commission. I have asked the Commission's Head of Corporate Services to reply.
	Letter from Sam Younger, dated 17 October 2011
	.
	The Commission carried out 12 public benefit assessments in 2009/10 and 8 assessments in 2010/11. No further public benefit assessments are planned.
	I hope this information is helpful.

Charity Commission

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what the priorities were of the Charity Commission in (a) 2010-11 and (b) 2011-12; and if he will make a statement.

Nick Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the Charity Commission, have asked the Commission's Head of Corporate Services to reply.
	Letter from Nick Allaway, dated 14 October 2011
	.
	Our priorities for 2010-11 were set out in our strategic plan for 2008-11. During this period, we were committed to achieving the following strategic priorities:
	continuing our commitment to modern, risk-based regulation;
	delivering organisational change and valuing our people;
	independent, objective decision-making and leadership;
	driving the accountability of charities to the public;
	delivering faster, more efficient services to our customers; and
	completing the implementation of the Charities Act 2006.
	Delivering against these has enabled the Commission to achieve the five statutory objectives set out in the Charities Act 2006.
	Following a reduction to our budget of 33% in real terms in the last spending review, the Commission has embarked on a fundamental review of our activities. We are currently in the process of finalising a strategic plan to cover the period 2012-15, which will be made publicly available in due course.
	I hope this information is helpful.

Charity Commission: Manpower

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many full-time equivalent staff the Charity Commission employed in (a) 2010-11 and (b) 2011-12; how many employees he expects the Commission to employ in each of the next three years; and if he will make a statement.

Nick Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the Charity Commission. I have asked the Commission's head of corporate services to reply.
	Letter from Nick Allaway, dated 14 October 2011
	.
	The number of full time equivalent (FTE) staff employed by the Charity Commission in 2010/11 was 404 staff (as at 31 March 2011). For the current year, 2011/12, it is expected that the Commission will employ 343 FTE staff by 31 March 2012.
	For the remaining three years of the current spending review period the FTE staff numbers at the Charity Commission are planned to be:
	
		
			  Staff 
			 2012-13 290 
			 2013-14 288 
			 2014-15 287 
		
	
	I hope this information is helpful.

Charity Commission: Manpower

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many staff the Charity Commission employed to investigate complaints against UK registered charities in each year since 2007-08; how many it expects to employ in each year of the comprehensive spending review period; and if he will make a statement.

Nick Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the Charity Commission. I have asked the Commission's chief executive to reply.
	Letter from Sam Younger, dated 17 October 2011
	.
	Since 2007, our investigations work was contained in our Compliance area in three Compliance Investigation teams. There were between 30 and 35 people in total in those teams with FTE each year as follows: 2007/08 31; 2008/09 34.2; 2009/10 32.4; and 2010/11 29.6.
	In future, we will not be organising our work and structures in the same way therefore it is not possible to make a direct comparison on staffing figures. The Investigations and Enforcement area will carry out the Commission's investigations and is expected to have around 30 staff, although not all of these will be conducting investigations.
	In addition, some of the work previously carried out as formal investigations will still be conducted, and the regulatory issues dealt with, in four Operations Units, one in each of our offices. In total there are 52 people in these teams. They will also be carrying out permissions and consents cases as well as other regulatory work.
	I hope this information is helpful.

Civil Service: Trade Unions

Guto Bebb: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office when he expects to announce a consultation on ending the practice of civil servants working full-time on trade union activities.

Francis Maude: We are immediately reviewing trade union facility time across the civil service. Once the review is complete, we will start the consultation with trade unions.

Communities First Fund

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how much funding the Community First Fund was allocated in (a) 2010-11 and (b) 2011-12; how much it will receive in each of the next three years; and if he will make a statement.

Nick Hurd: The Community First programme has a budget of up to £80 million, to be spent between April 2011 and March 2015. A breakdown of annual funding is provided as follows:
	
		
			 £ million 
			  Community First Funding Endowment Match Challenge 
			 2010-2011 0 0 
			 2011-2012 5 10 
			 2012-2013 7.5 15 
			 2013-2014 7.5 15 
			 2014-2015 10 10 
			 Total 30 50 
		
	
	Further information on the allocation of funds to individual wards can be found on the Community Development Foundation's website:
	http://www.cdf.org.uk/web/guest/community-first

Communities First Fund: Oxfordshire

Tony Baldry: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office for what reasons (a) Grimsbury, (b) Neithrop and (c) Ruscote ward within Cherwell district council does not qualify for Community First funding.

Nick Hurd: The aim of the Community First programme is to encourage more social action in neighbourhoods with significant deprivation and low social capital. It aims to encourage people to help others and themselves to improve the quality of life locally.
	The eligible wards for Community First were selected using the Indices of Multiple Deprivation, cross-cut with significant jobseeker’s allowance (JSA) claimant increases at top tier local authority level. In Oxfordshire, the eligible wards are Blackbird Leys and Rose Hill, and Iffley. They will both receive £33,910 of match funding over four years.

Departmental Billing

Eilidh Whiteford: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what proportion of invoices from suppliers to (a) his Department and (b) 10 Downing street his Department paid within 10 days of receipt in July and August 2010.

Francis Maude: 10 Downing street is an integral part of the Cabinet Office and this answer covers the Department as a whole.
	The percentage of invoices from suppliers paid within 10 days of receipt in July and August 2010 are shown in the following table.
	
		
			  Percentage 
			 July 2010 96.3 
			 August 2010 96.3

Departmental Buildings

Eilidh Whiteford: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what (a) building and (b) refurbishment projects in respect of (i) the Cabinet Office, (ii) 10 Downing street and (iii) the office of the Deputy Prime Minister his Department plans in (A) 2011-12 and (B) 2012-13; and what the cost of each such project will be.

Francis Maude: 10 Downing street and the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister are an integral part of the Cabinet Office.
	The Cabinet Office is undertaking building and refurbishment projects and details of costs can be found at the Cabinet Office transparency website.
	http://data.gov.uk/dataset/financial-transactions-data-co
	There are no current plans for any project work during 2012-13.

Departmental Consultants

David Simpson: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what procedures his Department uses when engaging external consultants.

Francis Maude: The use of external resources (including consultants) is subject to the scrutiny of the Cabinet Office Approvals Board, which is chaired by myself. Approved engagements are made in line with the Department's procurement policy.

Departmental Correspondence

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what representations he has received on (a) the Big Society Bank, (b) the Work programme and (c) volunteering in each month since June 2011; and if he will make a statement.

Nick Hurd: As Minister for Civil Society, I have received numerous representations in relation to Big Society Capital, volunteering and the Work programme (which is being taken forward by the Department for Work and Pensions) since June 2011, including correspondence, meetings and parliamentary business.

Departmental Official Hospitality

Ian Austin: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how much his Department spent on hospitality for events hosted by each Minister in his Department in each of the last 12 months.

Francis Maude: For the period October 2010 to September 2011, Cabinet Office Ministers spent £768 on hospitality for ministerial events, excluding de minimus expenditure for teas and coffee.

Departmental Pensions

John Spellar: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what the (a) retirement age, (b) payment on retirement and (c) other terms are of the pension provided to the Cabinet Secretary.

Francis Maude: The information requested can be found in the Remuneration Report contained in the Cabinet Office Annual Report and Accounts 2010-11 [HC 999].

Departmental Procurement

Julian Smith: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what progress his Department has made in eliminating pre-qualification questionnaires for procurements with a value of under £100,000.

Francis Maude: 15 out of 17 Departments have confirmed that they have eliminated the use of pre-qualification questionnaires for procurements below £100,000. Work is under way with the two remaining Departments, which have additional security requirements to consider, to implement necessary changes to their pre qualification processes.
	The Cabinet office is monitoring compliance with Departments.

Departmental Procurement

Mike Weatherley: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office whether he plans to consult on procurement policy action note 3/11, issued on 31 January 2011.

Francis Maude: There are no plans to formally consult on procurement policy action note 3/11. In February, the UK Government Open Standards Survey included an opportunity to provide feedback on the criteria to define an open standard, which was included in action note 3/11. Cabinet Office is considering this feedback and has been informally consulting with industry bodies and suppliers on revisions to the definition and the action note. Updated guidance on the specification of open standards in Government IT procurement will be published shortly.

Departmental Procurement

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many contracts his Department has awarded directly to third sector organisations in each month since May 2010; what the value was of such contracts; and if he will make a statement.

Nick Hurd: The information requested is not held centrally, and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	Contracts awarded by the Cabinet Office are now publicly available on Contracts finder at:
	www.contractsfinder.businesslink.gov.uk

Departmental Public Expenditure

David Simpson: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how much his Department spent on new furnishings in the last year.

Francis Maude: The Cabinet Office has incurred expenditure of this nature during the last financial year, primarily in relation to the 70 Whitehall refurbishment project. However, this expenditure is not identified separately on the Department's financial systems and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

E-mail

Jack Dromey: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office whether any (a) Ministers, (b) officials and (c) special advisers in his Department use private e-mail accounts for the conduct of government business.

Francis Maude: The Ministerial Code, the Code of Conduct for Special Advisers, and the Civil Service Code set out how Ministers, officials and special advisers should conduct Government business.

Hillsborough Stadium

Steve Rotheram: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what discussions he has had with the Prime Minister on the unredacted release of the Hillsborough Cabinet minutes since his appointment.

Francis Maude: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by the Secretary of State for the Home Department, my right hon. Friend the Member for Maidenhead (Mrs May) on 13 October 2011, Official Report, column 506W.

Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority

John Stanley: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office pursuant to his answer of 16 June 2011, Official Report, column 943W, on Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (IPSA), for what reasons the Government does not wish to bring IPSA within the ambit of the Parliamentary Commissioner Act 1967.

Francis Maude: The Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration was primarily set up to deal with complaints by members of the public, therefore the Government believe that the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (IPSA) should not be brought within the ombudsman’s remit. Any Member who is dissatisfied with the way in which the IPSA has determined a claim may refer the matter to the statutory compliance officer.

Jobseeker's Allowance

Lindsay Roy: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many people in (a) Glenrothes, (b) Fife, (c) Scotland and (d) each region in England were claiming jobseeker's allowance in the latest period for which figures are available.

Nick Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	L etter from Stephen Penneck, dated October 2011:
	As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking how many people in (a) Glenrothes, (b) Fife, (c) Scotland and (d) each region in England were claiming Jobseeker's allowance in the latest period for which figure were available. (74760)
	Table 1 shows the number of persons claiming Jobseeker's Allowance for the requested areas for September 2011, which is the latest period for which figures are available.
	National and local area estimates for many labour market statistics, including employment, unemployment and claimant count are available on the NOMIS website at:
	http://www.nomisweb.co.uk
	
		
			 Table 1: Number of persons resident in (a) Glenrothes, (b) Fife, (c) Scotland and (d) each region in England claiming jobseeker’s allowance, September 2011 
			 Not seasonally adjusted 
			  Number 
			 Glenrothes 3,363 
			 Fife 10,950 
			 Scotland 140,010 
			   
			 North East 88,155 
			 North West 198,614 
			 Yorkshire and the Humber 158,386 
			 East Midlands 106,242 
			 West Midlands 169,060 
			 East of England 114,370 
			 London 237,384 
			 South East 140,405 
			 South West 87,712 
			 Source: Jobcentre Plus administrative system

Office for Civil Society: Finance

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what the budget of the Office for Civil Society was for (a) 2010-11 and (b) 2011-12; what budget he has set for each of the next three years; and if he will make a statement.

Nick Hurd: The Office for Civil Society budget is published annually in the Main Estimates and updated in the Supplementary Estimates, available at:
	www.hm-treasury.gov.uk
	Future budgets have been published in the Cabinet Office Annual Report and Accounts 2010-11, available at:
	www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk

Office for Civil Society: Manpower

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many staff were working for the Office for Civil Society in each month since 1 May 2010; how many he expects to be employed in each of the next three years; and if he will make a statement.

Nick Hurd: The Office for Civil Society is part of the Efficiency and Reform Group which is staffed from a flexible resource pool. This allows staff to be deployed flexibly as priorities change and, as such, we do not keep monthly figures for projects within ERG. At the end of 2010-11, the Office for Civil Society had an agreed headcount of up to 115 and in 2011-12, 86 assignments have been agreed. Projections for future years will be based on the annual business planning cycle.

Official Gifts

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office if he will bring forward proposals to prevent former ministers from accepting gifts, donations, or offers of consultancy or employment from any company associated with healthcare provision for a period of five years after they have ceased to hold ministerial office.

Francis Maude: The Ministerial Code sets out the requirements on former Ministers after leaving office.

Public Sector: Mutual Societies

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office 
	(1)  how many new public service mutuals have been created (a) in total and (b) in each region in each month since June 2010; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what estimate he has made of the number of new members of public service mutuals (a) in each region and (b) in total in each month since June 2010.

Nick Hurd: As part of the Government's commitment to support the innovation and entrepreneurialism of front-line staff, the Government launched Mutual Pathfinders to be led by public sector staff who wanted to take control of their own services. They are trailblazers for the rest of the public sector helping Government understand, by learning from the front line, what type of support and structures will best enable the development of employee-led mutuals on an ongoing basis. Twenty-one Pathfinders have been announced.
	Twelve Pathfinders were announced in August 2010, one in November 2010 and a further eight in February 2011.
	Ten Pathfinders are based in London, five in the north-west, two in the East Midlands, one in South-West England, and two in the East of England. The final Pathfinder is a nationwide organisation.
	A further organisation, which forms part of the Department for Education's Social Work Practice Pilots, is also participating in the scheme, although it is not formally a Mutual Pathfinder. This organisation is based in the West Midlands and was already in operation at the time that the first Pathfinders were announced.
	The Cabinet Office does not hold information on every new public service mutual that has been created across the country, as these are decisions which are taken by a wide variety of public sector employees and public sector bodies, including local authorities.
	The Cabinet Office will launch the Mutuals Information Service and Mutual Support Programme in autumn 2011. These services will give the Government greater oversight of mutuals and their development.

Public Sector: Trade Unions

Matthew Offord: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what steps he is taking to reduce the cost to the public purse of full-time trade union officials employed by public bodies.

Francis Maude: We are immediately reviewing trade union facility time across the civil service. Once the review is complete, we will start the consultation with the trade unions.

Social Security Benefits

David Laws: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many long-term recipients of jobseeker's allowance moved off benefits in each month from January 2006 to September 2011; and if he will make a statement.

Nick Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	Letter from Stephen Penneck, dated October 2011
	As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking how many long-term recipients of jobseeker's allowance moved off benefit in each month from January 2006 to September 2011; and if he will make a statement. (75249)
	Table 1 shows the number of people who had flowed off Jobseeker's Allowance after claiming for over 12 months, resident in the UK, in each month from January 2006 to September 2011.
	National and local area estimates for many labour market statistics, including employment, unemployment and claimant count are available on the NOMIS website at
	http://www.nomisweb.co.uk
	
		
			 Table 1: Number of people  (1)   who flowed off jobseeker's allowance after claiming for more than 12 months. 
			  Number 
			 2006  
			 January 8,622 
			 February 13,091 
			 March 13,210 
			 April 12,488 
			 May 12,259 
			 June 13,670 
			 July 14,130 
			 August 16,067 
			 September 16,017 
			 October 18,591 
			 November 18,180 
			 December 16,267 
			   
			 2007  
			 January 12,893 
			 February 18,853 
			 March 18,621 
			 April 17,649 
			 May 17,743 
			 June 18,150 
			 July 18,605 
			 August 17,464 
			 September 17,691 
			 October 19,185 
			 November 18,570 
			 December 16,214 
			   
			 2008  
			 January 11,294 
			 February 17,086 
			 March 15,433 
			 April 13,729 
			 May 13,713 
			 June 13,503 
			 July 13,546 
			 August 12,175 
		
	
	
		
			 September 12,181 
			 October 12,773 
			 November 12,157 
			 December 10,508 
			   
			 2009  
			 January 7,795 
			 February 11,963 
			 March 11,837 
			 April 11,670 
			 May 11,572 
			 June 13,412 
			 July 14,231 
			 August 12,531 
			 September 14,231 
			 October 16,412 
			 November 17,899 
			 December 19,259 
			   
			 2010  
			 January 15,830 
			 February 25,862 
			 March 27,034 
			 April 26,759 
			 May 28,693 
			 June 31,135 
			 July 31,853 
			 August 29,926 
			 September 32,319 
			 October 35,099 
			 November 34,171 
			 December 31,602 
			   
			 2011  
			 January 22,773 
			 February 31,330 
			 March 30,144 
			 April 26,750 
			 May 22,705 
			 June 24,092 
			 July 19,046 
			 August 18,107 
			 September 19,536 
			 (1) The flow figures are collected for four or five-week periods between count dates; the figures are then standardised to a 4 1/3 week month. Source: Jobcentre Plus Administrative System

Third Sector

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office from which organisations he received responses to his Department's consultation paper on Modernising Commissioning in December 2010 and January 2011; and if he will make a statement.

Nick Hurd: The Cabinet Office received 181 written responses to the Modernising Commissioning Green Paper, as listed. They represented a broad range of voluntary sector organisations, including front line and umbrella organisations, as well as local authorities and academic institutions.
	In total, approximately 400 organisations responded through a mixture of written responses and consultation events. These feed into the Open Public Services White Paper.
	3SC
	A4E
	Acceptcare
	Acevo
	Action for Advocacy
	Action for Children
	Addiction Dependency Solutions
	Advice UK
	Age UK
	Anthony Collis Solicitors
	APSE
	Arts Council
	Association of Charitable Foundation
	Barnado’s
	Bassac
	Bath and North East Somerset Council
	Becksley Voluntary Service Council
	Big Society Network
	Birmingham County Council
	Bournemouth CVS
	Bradford CVS
	Brighton and Hove City Council
	Bristol City Council
	British Heart Foundation
	BTCV
	Burnley Pendle and Rossingdale CVS
	Camden Community Empowerment Network
	Caritas Social Action Network
	Charities Aid
	Charity Finance Directors Group
	Charity Tax Group
	Cheshire and Warrington Change Up
	Chester le street and District Council for Voluntary service and Volunteer Bureau
	Children England
	Churches Legislation Advisory Service
	CIPFA
	Citizens Advice Bureau
	Citizens Advice UK
	City of Bradford Metropolitan district Council
	Clinks
	Commissioning Support Programme
	Community Barnet
	Community Matters
	Community Transport Association UK
	Consortium
	Co-Operatives UK
	Cornwall Council
	COVER
	Crisis
	Cross Government Commissioning Learning and Development Group
	Cruse Bereavement Care
	CVI
	Disability Lib
	Durham County Council
	East Sussex County Council
	ECDP
	Essex County Council
	Faith Based Regeneration Network
	Fellows Associates
	Foundation Trust Network
	Fusion 21
	Gateshead Council
	Gateshead Voluntary Organisation Council
	GIRES
	GMCVO
	Green Space
	Guide Dogs UK
	Hampshire County Council
	Haringey Council
	Havco Haringey
	Helix Arts
	Herefordshire and Worcestershire Earth Heritage Trust
	Herefordshire Public Services
	HM Partnerships
	Home Group
	Home Start UK
	Impetus
	IPPR
	Isle of Wight Council
	Kent County Council
	Lancashire County Council
	Learning Together Cheshire and Warrington
	Leeds City Council
	Legal Services Commission
	Leonard Cheshire Disability
	Lesbian and Gay Foundation
	LGIE
	Liverpool Charity and Voluntary Services
	Liverpool John Moores University
	Local Government Group
	London South Bank University
	London Voluntary Service Council
	London Wildlife Trust
	MOTIVCIC
	Naaps
	Nacro
	National Children’s Bureau
	National Centre for Independent Living
	National Youth Advocacy Service
	NAVCA
	NCVO
	Ncvys
	Nesta
	Newcastle City Council
	Newcastle CVS
	North East Social Enterprise Partnership
	North West BME Voluntary and Community Sector Network
	Northampton Borough Council
	Northamptonshire County Council
	One East Midlands
	Ormiston
	Parents and Children Together
	Participatory Budgeting Unit
	Phoenix Futures
	Pre-School Learning Alliance
	RAISE
	RAWM
	Realliance
	Refuge
	Registry Trust Limited
	rnid
	Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea
	Rural Action East
	Social Development Agency
	Social Enterprise Coalition
	Social Enterprise Works
	Social Firms UK
	Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council
	South East Rural Community Councils
	Southwark Habitat for Humanity
	Sporta
	St Edmundsbury Council
	St Giles Trust
	St Mungos
	Staffordshire County Council
	Stockon on Tees Borough Council
	Stonewall
	Suffolk County Council
	Surrey County Council
	SUSTAIN
	Sutton Centre for the Voluntary Sector
	SWAN Network
	Swanswell
	Tees Valley County Council
	The Adsetts Partnership
	The Brunswick Centre
	The Business Services Association
	The Camden Society
	The Capability Company
	The Guild
	The Media Trust
	The National Care Forum
	The Social Investment Business
	The South West Forum
	The Stroke Association
	The Survivor Trust
	The Zebra Collective
	Timebank
	TUC
	Turning Point
	UK Council of Deafness
	Unison
	Unlimited Potential
	Vassall Centre
	Victims Support
	Voluntary Action North Lincolnshire
	Voluntary Action Oldham
	Voluntary Action Sheffield
	Voluntary and Community Action Wirral
	Voluntary sector chief officers group Stoke on Trent
	Voluntary Sector North West
	VONNE
	Wales Council for Voluntary Action
	Westminster City Council
	Wildlife Trust
	Women’s Aid
	Women’s Resource Centre
	Workwise
	WRVS
	Yorkshire and Humber Forum
	Young Lancashire.

Third Sector

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what plans he has to make it easier to establish a charity, social enterprise or voluntary organisation; and if he will make a statement.

Nick Hurd: The Government are keen to make it easier to run a voluntary group, charity or social enterprise. For example the recently released Unshackling Good Neighbours report by Lord Hodgson has put forward a raft of recommendations to address the level of bureaucracy that civil society organisations and volunteers face. The £30 million Community First programme aims to encourage more social action in neighbourhoods with significant deprivation and low social capital. It will look to help start more neighbourhood groups and revitalise existing groups and be a catalyst for community action. In July we launched the £30 million Transforming Local Infrastructure programme which aims to transform the support provided to frontline civil society organisations by mainly supporting local infrastructure and volunteering infrastructure organisations to rationalise and transform.
	We are also working on a completely new legal structure for charities—the first incorporated legal structure designed specifically with the needs of charities in mind. Called Charitable Incorporated Organisation, it will contribute to the Government's aim of making it easier to set up and run a charity, voluntary group or social enterprise.

Third Sector

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what steps he plans to take to make it easier for civil society organisations to work with the Government; and if he will make a statement.

Nick Hurd: The Government are committed to making it easier for civil society organisations to do business with the state. For example the recently announced Open Public Services White Paper sets out our intention to make it easier for charities and social enterprises to compete for public sector contracts by opening up public services. Our approach will be guided by applying five key principles:
	Choice—Wherever possible we will increase choice.
	Decentralisation—Power should be decentralised to the lowest appropriate level.
	Diversity—Public services should be open to a range of providers.
	Fairness—We will ensure fair access to public services.
	Accountability—Public services should be accountable to users and taxpayers.
	There is also the £10 million Investment and Contract Readiness Fund to transform the support provided to frontline civil society organisations to help them develop the skills and infrastructure to win more capital investment and public service contracts. At the same time the Department for Communities and Local Government published the Best Value Guidance recently. The guidance makes it clear that councils should consider overall value—including social value—when considering service provision. This guidance sets out our desire that public agencies and civil society collaborate more in the running of public services.

Third Sector

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how much direct funding his Department provided to each civil society organisation it funded in (a) 2010-11, (b) 2011-12, (c) 2012-13, (d) 2013-14 and (e) 2014-15; and if he will make a statement.

Nick Hurd: A list of direct grant funding awards to civil society organisations in 2010-11 is provided below (not including funds passed to arm's length bodies to distribute as grant funding on behalf of the Cabinet Office).
	Information for funding for 2011-12 onwards can only be provided at the end of each financial year as funding awards are finalised throughout the year.
	
		
			 Civil society organisation Grant amount in 2010-11 (£) 
			 Association of Chief Executives of Voluntary Organisations 210,125 
			 Action with Communities in Rural England 210,125 
			 Association of Charitable Foundations 126,000 
			 British Association of Settlements and Social Action Centres 155,006 
			 Bolton Lads and Girls Club 72,176 
			 British Youth Council 94,600 
			 Bridges Ventures Ltd 448,391 
			 British Trust for Conservation Volunteers 331,200 
			 Catch 22 298,503 
			 Council of Ethnic Minority Voluntary Sector Organisations 275,953 
			 Charities Aid Foundation 1,147,226 
			 Charities Evaluation Service 154,812 
			 Charity Trustee Networks 94,556 
			 Church Urban Fund 90,538 
			 Citizenship Foundation 700,600 
			 Consortium of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgendered Voluntary and Community Organisations 94,556 
			 Coming of Age Partnership 500 
			 Community Action Network 123,711 
			 Community Development Exchange 252,602 
			 Community Foundation Network 210,100 
			 Community Matters 261,603 
			 Connexions Cumbria Ltd 51,092 
			 Co-ops UK 103,000 
			 Community Service Volunteers 1,103,800 
			 Development Trusts Association 445,624 
			 East Midlands Regional External Relations Team 1,000 
			 Field Studies Council 83,386 
			 Football League (Community) Ltd 191,258 
			 Foyer Federation 118,195 
			 Futurebuilders England 36,125,093 
			 Innovation Unit 200,000 
			 Institute of Fundraising 579,300 
			 Lincolnshire and Rutland Education Business Partnership 20,473 
			 Media Trust 600,000 
			 MENTER (Voice4Change England) 275,953 
		
	
	
		
			 Mentoring and Befriending Foundation 1,050,600 
			 National Youth Agency 323,100 
			 National Association of Voluntary and Community Action 424,753 
			 National Council for Voluntary Organisations 1,397,887 
			 National Council for Voluntary Youth Services 242,143 
			 National Endowment for Science Technology and the Arts 250,000 
			 Plunkett 65,000 
			 Safe in Tees Valley Ltd 67,192 
			 School for Social Entrepreneur 74,000 
			 Social Enterprise Coalition 622,696 
			 Social Enterprise London 90,000 
			 Social Enterprise Mark CIC 150,000 
			 Social Firms 124,000 
			 The Challenge Network 1,236,000 
			 The Norfolk NCS Consortium (Norwich City) 82,692 
			 The Prince's Trust 50,138 
			 Third Sector European Network 84,313 
			 TimeBank 525,300 
			 Urban Forum 96,132 
			 v 47,628,676 
			 Volunteering England 1,655,700 
			 Women's Resource Centre 196,993 
			 Young Devon and South West Consortia 39,820 
			 Young Foundation 50,000 
			 Youth Action Network 157,600 
			 Youthnet 1,284,600

Third Sector

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what estimate he has made of the number of third sector organisations that had an income of (a) 1 million euros or more, (b) 100,000 euros or more and (c) 10,000 euros or more in (i) 2010-11 and (ii) 2011-12; and what estimate he has made of the number of third sector organisations with (A) 25 or more full-time equivalent employees, (B) five or more full-time equivalent employees and (C) one or more full-time equivalent employee in each year; and if he will make a statement.

Nick Hurd: The Cabinet Office does not produce or collate any statistics on the income of third sector organisations. However, the most recent figures collated by the National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO) estimated that in 2007-08:
	(a) Over 4,500 charities had an average income of one million pounds or more.
	(b) Over 26,000 charities had an average income of over £100,000 or more.
	(c) Over 80,000 Charities had an average income of over £10,000 or more.
	Estimated income figures are not currently available for:
	(i) 2010-11
	(ii) 2011-12.
	NCVO's report did not have exact breakdowns of the number of charities and the sizes of their work force. However, voluntary sector organisations were classified into five categories representing the size of the organisations and the report provided an estimate of the percentage of voluntary sector organisations that employ staff in 2007-08, these were:
	1% of micro organisations employed staff, there were approximately 91,000 in the
	UK according in 2007-08;
	31% of small organisations, of which there were approximately 54,000 in 2007-08;
	73% of medium organisations, of which there were approximately 21,500 in 2007-08;
	89% of large organisations, of which there were approximately 4,100 in 2007-08; and
	93% of major organisations, of which there were approximately 400 in 2007-08.
	Figures are only available for 2007-08.

Third Sector: Employment Schemes

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what discussions he has had with Ministers in the Department for Work and Pensions about the role of the third sector in the Work programme; and if he will make a statement.

Nick Hurd: There have been a number of discussions with the Minister for Employment, Department for Work and Pensions, my right hon. Friend the Member for Epsom and Ewell (Chris Grayling), in regard to the Work programme. At official level the Department for Work and Pensions and the Cabinet Office are working closely together to connect the experience of voluntary organisations on the ground with the policy intentions of the programme.

Third Sector: Finance

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how much each beneficiary organisation has received from the Transition Fund since its inception; and if he will make a statement.

Nick Hurd: All of the awards for the Transition Fund and the amounts awarded are listed on the Big Lottery Fund website which can be found at:
	http://www.biglotteryfund.org.uk/transitionfund

Voluntary Work: Administration

Gordon Henderson: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what steps he is taking to reduce the burden of administration associated with volunteering.

Nick Hurd: We are determined to reduce the red tape that prevents people from acting to improve their communities.
	The Government commissioned an investigation into what stops us all giving more time and money to charities, voluntary organisations and social enterprises, and what stops the sector from growing. In May, Lord Hodgson published his taskforce's report, which contained a total of 17 recommendations on these topics. Work is already underway to implement the recommendations and progress will be assessed in May 2012.
	The Government have also set up a broader Red Tape Challenge with the aim of reducing burdens on business and civil society, supporting growth and reducing state intrusion into personal freedoms. It is the result of a commitment to review the entire existing stock of more than 21,000 regulations
	The Home Office has set out proposals to reform the current CRB checks system through the Protection of Freedoms Bill. Many of these reforms, providing the Bill receives Royal Assent, will reduce the bureaucracy facing volunteers and civil society organisations.

Voluntary Work: Young People

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how much funding the National Citizen Service was allocated in (a) 2010-11 and (b) 2011-12; how much he has allocated in each of the next three years; and if he will make a statement.

Nick Hurd: National Citizen Service (NCS) is a personal and social development programme that provides 16-year-olds with the opportunity to take on new challenges, meet people from different backgrounds and make a difference in their communities. NCS pilots ran during the summer of 2011 and further pilots are planned in 2012.
	£2,562,256 was allocated to National Citizen Service pilot projects in FY2010-11. £12,340,231 was allocated in FY2011-12. These amounts were for the delivery of NCS pilots in summer 2011. Additionally £428,563 was allocated to the external evaluation of NCS in FY2011-12.
	The Cabinet Office is currently running a commissioning process for NCS places in 2012, for which part of the funding will be allocated from FY2011-12 budgets and part from FY2012-13 budgets. The Cabinet Office will be in a position to confirm the funding allocated for NCS places in 2012 once the commissioning process has concluded.
	Funding for NCS in the years after FY2012-13 will be a matter for the Department for Education.

Voluntary Work: Young People

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what funding he allocated to each of the pilots for the National Citizen Service in (a) 2010-11 and (b) 2011-12; and how much he has allocated for each of the next three years.

Nick Hurd: The total amounts allocated to each of the 12 National Citizen Service pilots taking place in summer 2011 across the two financial years are shown in the table.
	The Cabinet Office is currently running a commissioning process for NCS places in 2012, for which part of the funding will be allocated from FY 2011-12 budgets and part from FY 2012-13 budgets. The Cabinet Office will be in a position to confirm the funding allocated for NCS places in 2012 once the commissioning process has concluded. Funding for NCS in the years after FY 2012-13 will be a matter for the Department for Education.
	
		
			 £ 
			  Financial year 
			 Pilot lead organisation name 2010-11 allocation 2011-12 allocation 
			 Bolton Lads and Girls Club 72,176 269,618 
			 Catch 22 298,503 1,811,005 
			 The Challenge Network 1,236,000 2,972,352 
			 Connexions Cumbria Ltd 51,092 632,976 
			 Field Studies Council 83,386 697,907 
			 Football League Trust 191,258 1,016,817 
			 Lincolnshire and Rutland Education Business Partnership 20,473 80,191 
			 Norwich City Community Sports Foundation 82,692 489,845 
			 Safe in Tees Valley Ltd 67,192. 998,628 
			 The Prince's Trust 50,138 1,072,371 
			 V-The National Young Volunteers' Service and Dame Kelly Holmes Legacy Trust consortium 369,526 1,217,621 
			 Young Devon, leading the South West Consortium 39,820 1,080,900 
			 Total 2,562,256 12,340,231

Voluntary Work: Young People

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many people started a National Citizen Service project in each month since November 2010; and how many were still involved in those projects (a) one month, (b) three months and (c) six months after starting the project.

Nick Hurd: National Citizen Service (NCS) pilot projects take place during the summer. The independent evaluation of the first pilots is currently examining the number of participants on this summer's pilots and the numbers retained throughout the projects. The Cabinet Office will be in a position to provide those details once they are available later in the autumn. We estimate that up to 8,500 young people took part in NCS this summer.
	NCS pilot projects typically run for four to eight weeks in total. Three weeks require full-time commitment from participants; participants then complete a social action project in their communities on a part-time basis, with a total time commitment of approximately 30 hours.

ENERGY AND CLIMATE CHANGE

British Coal Utilisation Research Association

Martin Horwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what the status was of the British Coal Utilisation Research Association as a subsidiary of the British Coal Corporation during the legislative process between 1994 and 1995.

Charles Hendry: British Coal Utilisation Research Association (BCURA) ceased to be a wholly owned subsidiary of the British Coal Corporation (BCC) sometime in the early 1970’s and acquired a charitable status. At the time of the BCC privatisation, BCURA was not a wholly owned subsidiary of BCC. The Department has no further information about BCURA’s status at that time.

British Coal Utilisation Research Association

Martin Horwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change which body is responsible for former British Coal Corporation liabilities to the British Coal Utilisation Research Association which were not transferred to his Department.

Charles Hendry: The Department's understanding is that the liabilities prior to British Coal Utilisation Research Association (BCURA) joining the British Coal Corporation (BCC) family on 1 April 1969 rest with BCURA. BCURA liabilities were not assumed by BCC. The liabilities arising whilst they were within the BCC family are the responsibility of DECC, while the liabilities post ‘privatisation’ are with BCURA.

Departmental Billing

Eilidh Whiteford: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what proportion of invoices from suppliers his Department paid within 10 days of receipt in July and August 2010.

Gregory Barker: Since May 2010 the Department of Energy and Climate change has measured prompt payment performance against the Whitehall prompt payment target of five days. The percentage of invoices paid within five days of receipt for July 2010 was 93.8% and for August 2010 93.2%.
	Monthly prompt payment performance is published on the departmental website.

Departmental Buildings

Eilidh Whiteford: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what (a) building and (b) refurbishment projects his Department plans in (i) 2011-12 and (ii) 2012-13; and what the cost of each such project will be.

Gregory Barker: The Department has no plans for any building and refurbishment projects on its estate in either the current or next financial year.

Departmental Location

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many civil servants in his Department have been (a) relocated and (b) agreed for relocation in the last 12 months; and to which areas of the UK.

Gregory Barker: The Department for Energy and Climate Change has not (a) relocated or (b) agreed to relocate any of its civil servants in the last 12 months.

Departmental Pay

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change if he will estimate the total monetary value of London weightings and London living allowances for staff in his Department.

Gregory Barker: The estimated value of the difference between London and national pay scales for my Department is £3.9 million for the financial year 2010-11.

Departmental Procurement

Gordon Henderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what estimate he has made of the cost of employing civil servants to undertake procurement for his Department in (a) 2008-09, (b) 2009-10 and (c) 2010-11; and what estimate he has made of the cost of (i) employing civil servants and (ii) engaging consultants to undertake procurement for his Department in 2011-12.

Gregory Barker: The Department of Energy and Climate Change estimate the cost of employing civil servants to undertake procurement for his Department in 2009-10 at £250,000 and 2010-11 at £238,053. Figures for 2008-09 are not available because of the mid-year creation of the Department.
	The estimate for the cost of (i) employing civil servants in 2011-12 is £287,509 and (ii) engaging consultants to undertake procurement for his Department in 2011-12 is £56,000.

Departmental Procurement

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many contracts his Department has awarded directly to third sector organisations in each month since May 2010; what the value was of such contracts; and if he will make a statement.

Gregory Barker: The Department of Energy and Climate Change has not awarded any contracts directly to third sector organisations since May 2010.

Departmental Sick Leave

Mike Freer: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change for how many days on average his Department's staff in each pay grade were absent from work as a result of ill health in 2010-11.

Gregory Barker: The answer is shown in the following table:
	
		
			 Pay grade Average working days lost 
			 AO 7.1 
			 EO 7.2 
			 HEO (including Faststream) 3.2 
			 SEO 4.5 
			 Grade 7 2.8 
			 Grade 6 2.4 
			 SCS 0.6 
			 DECC total 3.6

Departmental Training

Eilidh Whiteford: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many external training courses staff of his Department attended in the last 12 months; and what the cost to the public purse was of each course.

Gregory Barker: The number of events that people attended outside of DECC is not centrally recorded and is approved by individual line managers so the gathering of this information would be a disproportionate cost to DECC.
	The total spend on training for the Department of Energy and Climate change from September 2010 to August 2011 was £833,423.91. This includes all of the courses that DECC paid people to deliver—whether that was for staff attending training at a training providers premises or for a training provider delivering training to DECC staff as part of our internal training programme.

Fuel Poverty

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many (a) written, (b) email and (c) telephone representations he has received in each month since May 2010 about (i) his plans to alleviate fuel poverty in the private rented sector, (ii) the operation of the Warm Homes and Energy Conservation Act 2000 and (iii) the disconnection of (A) gas and (B) electricity supplies; how many such representations were from (1) individuals and (2) organisations; if he will place in the Library copies of responses sent to such representations; and if he will make a statement. [R]

Gregory Barker: The following table provides information as to the volume of correspondence received by DECC regarding fuel poverty in each month since May 2010.
	
		
			  Correspondence from individuals Correspondence from organisations (including charities and companies) 
			 May 2010 29 0 
			 June 2010 111 7 
			 July 2010 111 6 
			 August 2010 110 3 
			 September 2010 76 2 
			 October 2010 265 8 
			 November 2010 217 18 
			 December 2010 156 13 
			 January 2011 180 11 
			 February 2011 113 9 
			 March 2011 178 11 
			 April 2011 215 5 
			 May 2011 156 10 
			 June 2011 127 11 
			 July 2011 163 5 
			 August 2011 114 9 
			 September 2011 153 3 
			 October 2011(1) 56 5 
			 Total 2,530 136 
			 (1) Up to 13 October 2011. 
		
	
	In addition, during the period requested DECC received:
	10 pieces of correspondence regarding gas disconnection,
	four pieces of correspondence regarding electricity disconnection, and
	two relating to gas and electricity disconnection.
	It would not be appropriate to provide the Library with copies of correspondence relating to individuals for data protection reasons.

Green Deal

Mark Spencer: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what steps his Department is taking to promote the uptake of the Green Deal; and what information and advice will be provided to customers to encourage them to take up the Green Deal.

Gregory Barker: The Green Deal will be market-driven so we expect the private sector to develop innovative approaches to creating demand for their Green Deal offers. Government are collaborating with a number of companies to trial the impact of a range of incentives. The Government are committed to the success of the Green Deal and the 2011 Budget confirmed the Government would act to encourage and incentivise take-up ahead of its launch in 2012. An independent telephone and web advice service will also be commissioned to help support potential Green Deal customers.

Green Deal

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change 
	(1)  what estimate he has made of the likely number of privately-rented properties which will be involved in the Green Deal in year (a) one, (b) two, (c) three, (d) four and (e) five;
	(2)  what estimate he has made of the likely number of social housing properties which will be involved in the Green Deal in the (a) first, (b) second, (c) third, (d) fourth and (e) fifth year of the scheme;
	(3)  what estimate he has made of the likely number of privately-owned properties which will be involved in the Green Deal in year (a) one, (b) two, (c) three, (d) four and (e) five.

Gregory Barker: Further details on the estimated take up of Green Deal across private rented, social rented and owner occupied sectors will be published in the Green Deal Impact Assessment accompanying our consultation later this year.

Mining: South Wales

Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what assessment he has made of the implications of (a) geology and (b) redundant mine-workings in the South Wales coalfields for potential shale gas exploration and hydraulic fracturing.

Charles Hendry: The implications of geology and, where appropriate, redundant mine workings are duly considered during the assessment of individual proposals for shale gas exploration and hydraulic fracturing, before the Department gives consent.

Mixed Oxide Fuel: Sellafield

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change whether he has any plans for the construction of a new mixed-oxide fuel plant.

Charles Hendry: In our recent consultation on long-term plutonium management, the Government's preliminary policy view was that plutonium should be reused as MOX fuel. In order to implement this option we recognised that a new mixed oxide fuel plant would be required. The other options considered were continued long-term storage and immobilisation followed by disposal.
	Government will shortly publish its response to that consultation which will set out how we intend to take forward plutonium management.

Nuclear Power Stations: Plutonium

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many tonnes of plutonium he estimates are awaiting disposal at UK nuclear sites.

Charles Hendry: The Office for Nuclear Regulation publish annually the UK's holdings of civil plutonium. The figures as of December 2010 show the UK is holding 114.8 tonnes of which 28.0 tonnes belong to overseas reprocessing customers.
	These figures can be found at:
	http://www.hse.gov.uk/nuclear/safeguards/civilplut10.htm

Oil: Imports

William Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what his policy is on the import into the EU of oil extracted from tar sands.

Charles Hendry: The European Commission has recently brought forward proposals to reflect the carbon emissions associated with the production of refined oil products under the terms of the Fuel Quality Directive. Discussion of the proposals within the European Parliament and Council has yet to begin. One of our objectives in these negotiations (with DFT being the lead Department) will be to ensure that oil from all sources is treated in proportion to its emissions levels so that the directive is effective in reducing total emissions.

Oil: Israel

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what steps he is taking to encourage the sale of (a) oil, (b) petroleum and (c) electricity to Israel; what recent representations he has received in support of such steps; what response he gave in each case; and if he will make a statement. [R]

Charles Hendry: The Department makes no special provision to encourage such sales, nor has it received any such representations.

Renewables Obligation: Biofuels

Thomas Docherty: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what recent assessment he has made of grandfathering support for bioliquids made from waste and used cooking oil under the renewables obligation.

Gregory Barker: holding answer 13 October 2011
	DECC commenced a scheduled banding review of RO support levels in October 2010. Banding reviews ensure that as market conditions and innovation within sectors change and evolve, developers continue to receive the appropriate level of support necessary to maintaining investment in the renewables industry.
	We intend to publish a consultation on the proposed new bands shortly. This will include our proposed policy on levels of support and grandfathering for bioliquids.

Warm Front Scheme

Lindsay Roy: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change for what reasons the Warm Front scheme is being phased out; and if he will make a statement.

Gregory Barker: As part of the spending review 2010, the Government announced funding for the Warm Front scheme to deliver heating and insulation measures to vulnerable households until March 2013. In late 2012 the Green Deal, accompanied by an energy company obligation (ECO), will begin. The ECO will provide assistance to low income and vulnerable households, enabling them to access heating and energy efficiency measures to heat their homes more affordably.

Wind Power

Glyn Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what estimate he has made of the average annual load factors achieved by wind power installations derived from Renewable Energy Guarantee of Origin data for installations with a capacity of (a) less than and (b) more than 100 kW prior to December 2010.

Charles Hendry: DECC does not produce annual load factors split by size of installation. However, in 2010, the onshore wind load factor was 21.5% and the offshore wind load factor was 29.6%.
	Source:
	Table DUKES 7.4—load factors on an unchanged configuration basis, available at:
	http://www.decc.gov.uk/en/content/cms/statistics/energy_stats/source/renewables/renewables.aspx
	For (a), most sub-100 kW installations are covered by the Feed in Tariff (FIT) scheme. However, generation data for this are not yet available, so actual load factors cannot be calculated. DECC estimates that load factors will be in the range of 15% to 20% depending on installation size. This assumes an average wind speed of 6.5 m/s, and excludes load factors for sub-1.5 kW installations, on the basis that nearly no projects of this type have thus far been registered under FITs.

Wind Power

Chris Heaton-Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how much public subsidy was paid to onshore wind farm companies for periods when it was too windy for the turbines to produce energy in the last year.

Charles Hendry: The renewables obligation is a generation-based subsidy meaning support is granted for each MWh of electricity actually generated. Wind farm companies will, therefore, only receive support when they generate.
	Payments will also be made by National Grid (in its role as National Electricity Transmission System Operator) to generators of all types to alter their output in order to balance energy supply and demand. However, these payments are not a public subsidy. The costs will be recovered by National Grid through charges paid equally by generators and supply companies, based on their energy taken from, or supplied to, the network.

Wind Power

Chris Heaton-Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what discussions his Department has had with the Department for Communities and Local Government on planning regulations for onshore wind turbines.

Charles Hendry: DECC Ministers and officials regularly discuss issues relating to the construction of wind farms in the UK with counterparts in the Department for Communities and Local Government.

Wind Power: Energy Supply

Chris Heaton-Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what the average cost to the public purse in subsidies was of each megawatt of electricity produced by (a) onshore wind generation and (b) each other source of energy for which his Department holds information in each of the last 12 months.

Charles Hendry: The renewables obligation (RO) is currently the Government’s main mechanism for incentivising the deployment of large-scale renewable electricity deployment. Generators are issued renewables obligation certificates (ROCs) for every megawatt-hour (MWh) of eligible electricity they generate which can then be sold to suppliers, allowing them to receive a premium in addition to the wholesale price of their electricity.
	The RO is a market-based support mechanism, rather than a direct public subsidy, and ROCs are trade-able commodities which have no fixed price. The amount a supplier pays for a ROC is dependent on bi-lateral negotiations between supplier and generator. The nominal value of a ROC in any given year is equal to the buy-out price (the amount a supplier must pay for every ROC they do not present to Ofgem in order to comply with their obligation) + recycle value (the amount re-distributed to suppliers from the buy-out fund on a pro-rata basis depending on how many ROCs they presented to Ofgem) for that year. The nominal value represents the maximum worth of a ROC to a generator but is not necessarily the amount paid by a supplier. The nominal value of a ROC in 2009-10 was £52.36.
	The following table sets out the number of ROCs issued for each MWh generated under the RO for onshore wind generation and other sources of renewable energy across the UK. Similar support mechanisms are not available to other generators of electricity.
	Eligible generators can also claim levy exemption certificates (LECs) which are also trade-able. The levy is currently set at £4.85/MWh.
	
		
			 RO banding levels 
			  ROCs per MWh 
			  England  and Wales Scotland Northern Ireland 
			 Onshore wind 1 1 <=250kw 4 
			    >250kw 1 
		
	
	
		
			 Hydroelectric 1 1 <=20kw 4 
			    >20kw-<=250kw 3 
			    >250kw-<=1MW 2 
			    >1MW 1 
			     
			 Co-firing of energy crops 1 1 1 
			 Co-firing of biomass with combined heat and power (CHP) 1 1 1 
			 Energy from waste with CHP 1 1 1 
			 Geopressure 1 1 1 
			 Standard gasification or pyrolysis 1 1 1 
			 Offshore wind 2 2 n/a 
			 Co-firing of energy crops with CHP 1.5 1.5 1.5 
			 Dedicated biomass 1.5 1.5 1.5 
			 Wave 2 5 2 
			 Tidal 2 3 2 
			 Advanced gasification or pyrolysis 2 2 2 
			 Energy crops (with or without CHP) 2 2 2 
			 Dedicated biomass with CHP 2 2 2 
			     
			 Anaerobic Digestion 2 2 <=500kw 4 
			    >500kw-<=5MW 3 
			    >5MW 2 
			     
			 Solar PV 2 2 <=50kw 4 
			    >50kw 2 
			     
			 Geothermal 2 2 2 
			 Tidal impoundment <1GW 2 2 2 
			 Microgeneration 2 2 2

Wind Power: Scotland

Tom Greatrex: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what the monetary value was of constraint payments paid to onshore wind farm operators in Scotland in (a) 2010-11, (b) 2009-10, (c) 2008-09 and (d) 2007-08.

Charles Hendry: Constraint payments of £176,788 were made to onshore wind farm operators in Scotland in 2010-11, compared to total constraint payments to generators of all types of £170 million over that period. No payments were made to onshore wind farm operators in Scotland in previous years.

BUSINESS, INNOVATION AND SKILLS

Business Links

Vernon Coaker: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what (a) face-to-face and (b) telephone business advice services he plans to make available following the closure of Business Link.

Mark Prisk: We believe the role of Government is to create the conditions for business success and to enable businesses to find the information, guidance and advice that will help them to grow and create jobs. That is why we announced in January a series of significant changes to the way information, guidance and advice to business is provided, with more focus on improving small business performance and growth, and with a greater emphasis on further and better private sector provision.
	The Business Link website:
	www.businesslink.gov.uk
	is being significantly enhanced and will continue to provide support to businesses to help them start up, improve and grow, providing a one stop shop for much of the advice sought by small businesses. Businesses tell us that they want to take advice from people they know and trust—experienced business people. That is why we have launched:
	www.mentorsme.co.uk
	a single easy to use search engine to access free and paid for mentoring services, including face-to-face mentoring). In addition, we have announced a new Business Coaching for Growth programme which will target around 10,000 companies with high growth potential, offering specific mentoring support and face to face coaching.
	While www.businesslink.gov.uk will be the primary channel for business information and support, we are also providing a telephone helpline to help transition customers from the previous business support framework and to help those who do not have internet access and those who have difficulty finding the information they need on the website.

Business: Civil Disorder

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what recent discussions he has had with businesses concerning lost revenue resulting from public disorder in August 2011.

Mark Prisk: The issue has not been raised in meetings with business, but has been raised in correspondence and with officials in recent meetings with local authorities and non-Government bodies engaged in post-disorder recovery activity.
	Government support schemes for business cover loss of goods, damage to property and other costs as a result of the disorder but do not extend to loss of trade or earnings. Many businesses will have insurance for “business interruption” that will cover this. In addition, the private High Street Fund and other charitable organisations may make grants to businesses suffering hardship as a result of loss of earnings resulting from the disorder.

Business: Finance

Iain Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what discussions he has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on fiscal measures to increase the level of (a) employee-owned and (b) family-owned businesses.

Mark Prisk: The Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, my right hon. Friend the Member for Twickenham (Vince Cable), meets regularly with the Chancellor of the Exchequer, my right hon. Friend the Member for Tatton (Mr Osborne), to discuss measures to encourage economic growth and enterprise, including employee and family owned businesses.

Business: Snow and Ice

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what recent discussions he has had with small businesses concerning the possible effects of winter weather on those businesses.

Mark Prisk: I have not had any recent discussions with small businesses concerning the possible effects on winter weather. Government recognise the importance of businesses having the information they need to minimise the impact of winter weather on their operations. There are a wide range of guides and interactive tools available on the Business Link website to assist all businesses in developing business continuity plans and to manage risks to their business.

Capita

Tristram Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many contracts his Department has awarded to Capita since May 2010; and what the (a) monetary value and (b) net worth was of each contract.

Edward Davey: Central records indicate that the Department has made the following total payments by Capita Group company since May 2010;
	
		
			  £ 
			 Capita Business Services Ltd 124,997.60 
			 Capita Resourcing Ltd 36,156.10 
			 NB Real Estate Ltd t/a Capita Symonds 347,978.13 
			 Capita Health Solutions Ltd 4,467.00 
			 Capita Symonds Ltd 747.00 
			 Capita 445.00 
			 Capita Resourcing Ltd t/a Veredus Interim Management 6,868.50 
			 Grand total 521,659.33 
		
	
	Further information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Clothing: Labelling

William Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what his policy is on the labelling by country of origin of clothing imported into the EU.

Edward Davey: HMG supports the feasibility study being carried out by the European Commission on country of origin labelling for textile products in the context of the recently agreed EU Textile Fibre Labelling Regulation.
	HMG welcomes the voluntary practice of many producers and retailers in providing a country of origin mark on their clothing products, which they believe is the right thing to do for themselves and their customers. Any such labelling must be clear and accurate: it is a criminal offence under the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulation 2008 to give consumers misleading information.

Construction: Conditions of Employment

Iain Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills if he will take steps to ensure that newly-qualified workers in the construction sector trained to NVQ level 3 standards are entitled to existing national agreements on pay and conditions; and if he will make a statement.

Mark Prisk: The Government feel that it is an important principle that agreements of pay rates and conditions of all employees are determined within the sector.

Construction: Conditions of Employment

Iain Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills if he will take steps to ensure that employers comply with national agreements on pay and conditions within the construction industry.

Mark Prisk: This issue is a matter for the industry and it is for the parties concerned to resolve this between themselves through discussion.

Construction: Industry

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what estimate he has made of the contribution to the economy of the construction industry.

Mark Prisk: Construction makes a vital contribution to the UK economy. It contributed nearly 7% of the UK economy's gross value-added (GVA) in 2009, it is worth around £86 billion, and it employed around 2 million people.

Departmental Consultants

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many senior civil servants in his Department at each grade had worked for PricewaterhouseCoopers, Ernst & Young, Deloitte or KPMG immediately prior to taking up their appointment in each of the last four years; what consultancy agreements his Department had with those firms in each such year; and how many consultants from those firms have advised his Department in each such year.

Edward Davey: Central records indicate that the following amounts have been paid to PricewaterhouseCoopers, Ernst and Young, Deloitte and KPMG in each of the last four complete financial years;
	
		
			 April 2007-08 £ 
			 PWC 789,737.96 
			 Ernst and Young — 
			 Deloitte 3,109,935.58 
			 KPMG 250,865.50 
		
	
	
		
			 April 2008-09 £ 
			 PWC 4,055,985.64 
			 Ernst and Young — 
			 Deloitte 1,990,035.28 
			 KPMG 1,135,429.15 
		
	
	
		
			 April 2009-  10 £ 
			 PWC 927,122.30 
			 Ernst and Young 148,737.25 
			 Deloitte 1,091,613.67 
			 KPMG 1,401,705.07 
		
	
	
		
			 April 2010-11 £ 
			 PWC 56,266.00 
			 Ernst and Young 39,826.00 
			 Deloitte 2,345,964.70 
			 KPMG 314,869.45

Departmental Press Releases

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many press releases his Department has issued in the last 12 months.

Edward Davey: The total number of press releases issued by the Department since 1 October 2010 until 12 October 2011 is 406.

Departmental Procurement

John Denham: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what the annual value is of his Department's current contracts in each sector in which contracts are held.

Edward Davey: Central records indicate that the annual value of the core Department's contracts by sector for financial year 2001-11 is:
	
		
			  £ 
			 Energy utilities total 1,992,589.20 
			 Facilities total 85,865,042.08 
			 ICT total 39,693,899.65 
			 Logistics total 15,982.46 
			 Marketing media total 18,843,738.05 
			 Office Solutions total 1,493,364.65 
			 Personnel related total 1,477,826.68 
			 Professional services consultancy total 6,856,857.54 
			 Professional services financial services total 10,216,143.80 
			 Professional services learning and development total 2,443,493.67 
			 Professional services other total 70,784,921.85 
		
	
	
		
			 Professional services temporary staff total 4,457,547.39 
			 Travel and events total 2,416,554.35 
			 Vehicles total 422,971.66 
			 Waste management total 181,337.33 
			 Grand total 247,162,270.35 
		
	
	Further information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Procurement

Stewart Hosie: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what contracts of a monetary value of (a) between £100,000 and £500,000, (b) between £500,000 and £1 million, (c) between £1 million and £5 million, (d) between £5 million and £10 million, (e) between £10 million and £50 million, (f) between £50 million and £100 million, (g) between £100 million and £500 million, (h) between £500 million and £1 billion, (i) between £1 billion and £5 billion and (j) over £5 billion his Department and its predecessors have entered into with private suppliers in each year since 1990.

Edward Davey: The information requested is not held centrally and could be provided at only disproportionate cost.

Departmental Training

Eilidh Whiteford: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many external training courses staff of his Department attended in the last 12 months; and what the cost to the public purse was of each course.

Edward Davey: Decisions on individuals' development needs are made locally, guided by the Department's Learning and Development Strategy and the central guidance from Civil Service Learning. In 2010-11 average spend per head across BIS and all its agencies was £937.
	Details of individual attendance on courses is not held centrally. This could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Economic Growth

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what his Department's preferred measure of economic growth at the local authority level is for measuring progress in implementing the Local Growth White Paper proposals.

Mark Prisk: The Department has not established a preferred measure to establish progress on implementing the Local Growth White Paper proposals.
	Local authorities and local enterprise partnerships are free to choose which measures they use to monitor economic growth in their localities, we would expect these measures to be linked to the interventions they are making.
	Where Government funding is being used for those interventions such as through the regional growth fund they will be subject to separate assessment by Government of their impact.

Electronic Equipment: Safety

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what checks his Department requires to be carried out on the safety of electrical goods which are sold by retailers; what his Department's policy is on such goods being sold below cost; and if he will make a statement.

Edward Davey: The sale of electrical goods is regulated by the Electrical Equipment (Safety) Regulations 1994 which require all new electrical goods brought into the supply chain to be safe products to be sold in the market. The Department does not require any specific checks; however responsibility for complying with the regulation is placed on all parties in the supply chain including the manufacturer or the importer into the European economic area. Subject to compliance with competition law, the prices an enterprise charges for its goods and services is a commercial matter for the enterprise concerned.

Energy: Conservation

Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change on encouraging investment in green industries in (a) England, (b) the West Midlands and (c) the Black Country.

Mark Prisk: The Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, the right hon. Member for Twickenham (Vince Cable), has met the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, my right hon. Friend the Member for Eastleigh (Chris Huhne), on a number of occasions to discuss the Government's green growth agenda, including investment in green industries across England as a whole. Discussions have included the latest developments on the regional growth fund and the Green Investment Bank, both of which are potential sources of funding for green industries across the UK. The former is already in operation. It is anticipated that the latter will be operational by summer 2013 although the Government will be in a position to begin making early investments in green projects from April 2012.

European Fighter Aircraft

Graham Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills whether (a) he and (b) officials from his Department were represented when the decision was taken to slow down orders for tranche 3A of the Eurofighter.

Mark Prisk: The decision to slow down orders for Tranche 3A of the Eurofighter Typhoon was taken by the Ministry of Defence (MOD), and the agreement signed on 28 July 2011. Officials from UK Trade & Investment's (UKTI) Defence and Security Organisation provided some input on this issue but were not involved in this decision, as it falls within MOD's delegated authority.

Higher Education

David Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many students from Bexleyheath and Crayford constituency started (a) science, (b) technology, (c) engineering and (d) mathematics degrees in each of the last five years.

David Willetts: The numbers of entrants from Bexleyheath and Crayford constituency to postgraduate and undergraduate science, technology, engineering and mathematics courses at UK higher education institutions are shown by subject area in the table. Figures are provided for the academic years 2005/06 to 2009/10. Information for the 2010/11 academic year will become available from January 2012.
	
		
			 Entrants  (1)   from Bexleyheath and Crayford constituency  (2 )  to postgraduate and undergraduate science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) courses by subject area UK higher education institutions, academic years 2005/06 to 2009/10 
			  2005/06 2006/07 2007/08 2008/09 2009/10 
			 Subject area PG UG PG UG PG UG PG UG PG UG 
			 Medicine and dentistry 5 5 5 10 5 5 5 10 5 10 
			 Subjects allied to medicine 25 160 15 135 15 150 15 155 25 180 
			 Biological sciences 5 45 10 60 5 60 10 55 15 75 
			 Veterinary science 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Agriculture and related subjects 0 5 0 5 0 5 0 5 0 10 
			 Physical sciences 5 25 5 20 0 25 5 25 5 25 
			 Mathematical sciences 0 10 0 10 0 10 0 10 5 10 
			 Computer science 5 35 5 25 5 35' 5 35 5 35 
			 Engineering and technology 5 30 5 30 5 40 5 25 10 25 
			 Architecture, building and planning 5 25 5 25 5 30 5 25 10 35 
			 Total STEM 55 345 50 320 50 360 50 350 75 400 
			 (1) Covers entrants of all ages to full-time and part-time courses. (2 )The table does not include entrants where the parliamentary constituency of the student cannot be established due to invalid or missing postcode information. Notes: 1. Figures are on a HESA Standard Registration Population basis. 2. In this table 0, 1 and 2 are rounded to 0. All other numbers are rounded up or down to the nearest five, so components may not sum to totals. PG: Postgraduate UG: Undergraduate Source: Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) Student Record.

Higher Education: Mental Health

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills 
	(1)  what measures are in place to ensure that students with mental health problems in higher education institutions experiencing discrimination as defined by the Disability Discrimination Act 1995, are able to seek fair redress; and what his policy is on enforcement of such measures;
	(2)  what steps he is taking to address the difference in quality of support available to students with mental health problems at higher education institutions.

David Willetts: Universities have duties under the Equality Act 2010 (which incorporated the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) 1995) to support disabled staff and students in higher education, including those with mental health conditions.
	The law establishes a framework of responsibility which higher educations must comply with and also promotes an anticipatory and proactive approach to supporting disabled students, including those suffering from mental illness. This may mean that there will be different approaches taken by different universities on this issue, as they seek to offer provision that anticipates the needs of their students and staff based on the unique circumstances of the institution. Individual institutions will use the law as a baseline standard to establish their own tailored policies, procedures and approaches. The Government have no plans to amend the provisions in the Equality Act relating to higher education institutions' duties towards disabled students.
	There is guidance available to universities on supporting students and staff with mental health conditions from a range of sector and medical bodies, including the Heads of University Counselling Services, the Association of Managers of Student Services in Higher Education (AMOSSHE), the Royal College of Psychiatrists, the former Disability Rights Commission and most recently from the UniversitiesUK/Guild HE Working Group for the Promotion of Mental Well-Being in Higher Education.
	Students can use an institution's internal complaints process to raise any concerns about discrimination and pursue their complaint with the Office of the Independent Adjudicator (OIA) if they have exhausted the internal processes and remain dissatisfied with the outcome. Universities are subject to the courts in the application of these duties. Any student who feels they have been discriminated can seek legal advice about their situation, and the advice of the Equality and Human Rights Commission which provides guidance on discrimination matters and has a statutory enforcement role (established in the 2006 Equality Act).

Higher Education: Private Sector

Paul Blomfield: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what representations he has received from private equity firms on his Department's Higher Education White Paper.

David Willetts: The Department does not maintain a list of the corporate status of organisations that have made representations on the Higher Education White Paper.
	A quarterly-updated list of all BIS ministerial meetings with external organisations is available at:
	http://data.gov.uk/dataset/disclosure-ministerial-hospitality-received-department-for-business
	A full list of respondents to the White Paper will be available in due course.

India: EU Countries

Douglas Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what recent steps he has taken towards establishing a free trade agreement between the EU and India.

Edward Davey: The UK continues to press the Indian Government, the European Commission and member states to conclude the EU-India Free Trade Agreement (FTA). At the Trade Foreign Affairs Council on 26 September, I called for the EU to make a collective effort to push for an ambitious FTA which delivers on UK and EU priorities, emphasising the game-changing nature of the deal.

Korea: EU Countries

Douglas Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what estimate he has made of the proportion of the expected increase in EU-Korea trade resulting from the EU-Korea Free Trade Agreement which will be UK-Korea trade.

Edward Davey: The UK will gain an estimated £500 million a year in gross domestic product (GDP) from the EU-Korea Free Trade Agreement, which represents 12% of the estimated total EU GDP gain.

Land Registry

Jo Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what estimate he has made of the number of property transactions in each price band in (a) London and (b) England that were not recorded by the Land Registry or subject to a property tax.

David Gauke: I have been asked to reply.
	The information requested is not available. HMRC does not have details of land transactions where no land transaction return was required for stamp duty land tax (SDLT) purposes. HM Land Registry does not have details of transactions that are not registered.
	HMRC released an estimate of the SDLT tax gap in its Measuring Tax Gaps publication, which can be found in the following link:
	http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/mtg-2011.pdf

Land Rover: Wolverhampton

Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what support he plans to provide to the proposed Jaguar Land Rover engine plant in Wolverhampton for the manufacture of low-emission engines.

Mark Prisk: Government have offered regional aid of up to £10 million through the ‘Grant for Business Investment’ scheme to support Jaguar Land Rover's investment in a new engine plant in Wolverhampton.

Minimum Wage

Graeme Morrice: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many people in (a) Livingston constituency, (b) West Lothian local authority area and (c) Scotland paid no more than the national minimum wage have benefitted from the most recent increase in the national minimum wage.

Edward Davey: Reliable figures cannot be produced for Livingston or West Lothian due to the small sample size.
	BIS estimates that around 71,000 people in Scotland stood to benefit from the October 2011 uprating of all of the national minimum wage rates. BIS has based this estimate on the April 2010 Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings.

Multinational Companies: Company Accounts

Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what steps he is taking to improve transparency in financial reporting by (a) individuals, (b) companies registered in the UK and (c) multinational companies.

Edward Davey: The Government are currently considering the future framework for financial reporting in the UK. The views of business and the professions are being sought on “The Future of Narrative Reporting” and “Audit Exemptions and Change of Accounting Framework”. The closing dates for responses to these consultation documents are 25 November and 29 December respectively. Further, a discussion document, “Simpler Reporting for the Smallest Businesses”, has been published exploring how the burden of reporting requirements might be eased for this business sector. Responses are requested by 30 October. The Government will consider how financial reporting for UK businesses might be improved in light of the responses received.

Non-domestic Rates

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what recent discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government on proposals to reform business rates.

Mark Prisk: The Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, the right hon. Member for Twickenham (Vince Cable), has had no recent discussions with the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, my right hon. Friend the Member for Brentwood and Ongar (Mr Pickles), about the Government's proposals to allow local retention of business rates. These proposals are the subject of public consultation until 24 October.

Public Houses: Rents

Iain Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills 
	(1)  if he will consider including permission for tied publicans to opt out of the tie at each rent review in his code of practice for pub companies;
	(2)  if he will consider introducing a requirement for rent reviews to be based on capital and rental valuations in his code of practice for pub companies.

Edward Davey: The Government do not have a code of practice for pub companies. The Government are currently considering the recommendations made in the BIS Committee's most recent 'Pub Companies' report and will be responding in due course.

Research: Expenditure

Iain Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what assessment he has made of trends in expenditure on research and development by companies in the last 12 months.

David Willetts: The most recent figures for UK Business Enterprise Research and Development (BERD) were published in December 2010 and showed:
	In 2009, in cash terms and compared with 2008:
	Total R&D expenditure decreased by 2.5% to £15.6 billion
	In 2009, in real terms (2009 prices) and compared with 2008:
	Total expenditure decreased by 4.1% to £15.6 billion
	The Office for National Statistics will publish UK BERD 2010 expenditure figures in November 2011.

Small Businesses: Copyright

Mike Weatherley: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what research his Department has (a) evaluated and (b) commissioned to quantify the effects of design infringement on small businesses.

Edward Davey: In September 2011 the Intellectual Property Office (IPO) published the results of independent research into design economics.
	http://www.ipo.gov.uk/ipresearch-right-design
	This added to existing evidence about the difficulties faced by small businesses seeking to protect design. Further research is now under consideration, while other work by the IPO—a 'call for evidence' on design IP, together with an online survey—will help identify potential solutions.

Student Finance England: Complaints

Andrew Bridgen: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what plans he has to review the efficiency of Student Finance England; and how many complaints Student Finance England received in (a) 2008, (b) 2009 and (c) 2010.

David Willetts: Student Finance England (SFE) is the service for English-domiciled students applying for financial support in higher education and is administered by the Student Loans Company (SLC). The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) reviews the performance and efficiency of the SLC, including its SFE service, on an ongoing basis. This includes through formal reviews assessing performance against targets agreed in SLC's Annual Performance and Resource Agreement (APRA).
	SLC records all the complaints it receives and the following table summarises the number of complaints received by SLC in 2008, 2009 and 2010. A breakdown of these figures to show the number of complaints relating to SFE in particular is not readily available.
	By way of context, the increase in the number of complaints since 2008 could be seen to be commensurate with the increase in SLC's work. The SLC took over responsibility from English local authorities for student finance assessments over a three-year period starting with new applicants for the 2009/10 academic year and ending with all applicants for the 2011/12 academic year. For the 2009/10 academic year SLC received 470,000 applications, for the 2010/11 academic year this figure increased to 800,000.
	This year (for the 2011/12 academic year) the SLC has already received over one million applications.
	
		
			 Complaints received by the SLC 
			 Financial year Number of cases 
			 2008-09 2,176 
			 2009-10 2,566 
			 2010-11 5,810 
			 Total 10,552

Students Loans Company

Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what information his Department holds on the number of occasions the Student Loans Company has reassessed a student loan following representations from a university in the academic year 2010-11.

David Willetts: Information on the number of occasions the Student Loans Company (SLC) has reassessed a student loan following representations from a university is not held by the Department or the SLC.
	There are many reasons why there may be a reassessment of a student's loan and there could be many re-assessments conducted on an individual account due to a combination of these reasons. These include the annual assessments which take place at the start of each academic year, routine internal audit checks, and notified changes of circumstances such as changes in university course, a drop in family income or a change from living at home to living away from home.
	Data are not collated on the total numbers of reassessments or the reasons why they are triggered.

Students Loans Company: Complaints

Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many complaints were made against the Student Loans Company in each of the last five years.

David Willetts: Correspondence received by the Department for Business Innovation and Skills (BIS) in relation to the Student Loans Company (SLC) since 2007 is set out in Table 1 as follows. A breakdown of these figures to show the number of complaints about the company's operations is not readily available and individual correspondence cases would need to be examined to determine this. Doing so would be a disproportionate cost.
	The SLC records all the complaints it receives and the figures since 2007 are summarised in Table 2 as follows. By way of context, the progressive increase in the level of complaints could be seen to be commensurate to the progressive increase in SLC's work since 2009 when it took over responsibility from English local authorities for student finance assessments over a three-year period starting with new applicants for the 2009/10 academic year and ending with all applicants for the 2011/12 academic year. For the 2009/10 academic year SLC received 470,000 applications, for the 2010/11 academic year this figure increased to 800,000, and this year (for the 2011/12 academic year) the SLC has already received over one million applications.
	
		
			 Table 1: Correspondence received by BIS and its predecessors in relation to the SLC 
			 Calendar year Number of cases 
			 2007 1,953 
			 2008 2,722 
			 2009 3,070 
			 2010 4,198 
			 2011 (to date) 502 
			 Total 12,445 
		
	
	
		
			 Table 2: Complaints received by the SLC 
			 Financial year Number of cases 
			 2007-08 2,080 
			 2008-09 2,176 
			 2009-10 2,566 
			 2010-11 5,810 
			 2011-12 (to date) 3,419 
			 Total 16,051

Students: Finance

Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what guidance his Department issues to the Student Loans Company on determining loan and grant settlements for students who have interrupted their studies due to illness.

David Willetts: The Student Loans Company determines loans and grant settlements for students who have interrupted their studies due to illness in accordance with the Education (Student Support) Regulations, which are laid before Parliament each year.
	Student Finance England also issues detailed guidance covering all aspects of student support on their HE Practitioners website, including support for students who have interrupted their studies due to illness. This guidance complies with the Education (Student Support) Regulations.

Students: Finance

Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what financial support is available to students who suspend their studies due to illness.

David Willetts: The student support system allows a student who is ill to suspend their studies by arrangement with their university or college and resume them at an arranged date.
	Full-time students who have suspended their studies will continue to be eligible for grants and loans for living costs if their absence does not exceed 60 days. If the absence exceeds 60 days, the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, the right hon. Member for Twickenham (Vince Cable), has discretion to continue paying such grants and loans if he decides it is appropriate to do so.

Supermarkets: Competition

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills if he will bring forward legislative proposals to prevent large retailers from selling items below cost price.

Edward Davey: The Government have no plans to legislate in this area. Competition matters related to the pricing of goods and services fall to the Office of Fair Trading as the responsible independent competition authority.

Technology Strategy Board

Robert Halfon: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what proportion of funding provided from the Technology Strategy Board has gone to companies that are not university spin-offs.

David Willetts: The Technology Strategy Board has supported over 4000 businesses through a range of programmes and funding opportunities in the last four years and most of its programmes are open to companies of all sizes across the UK. It does not specifically target support at university spin-outs, but programmes such as Grant for Research and Development (R and D) and Eurostars are available only to small and medium-sized enterprises.
	Disaggregating the data held on companies benefiting from the range of Technology Strategy Board funding to identify recent spin-outs can only be provided at disproportionate cost, but a recent evaluation of its Collaborative R and D indicated that 4% of the businesses supported were spin-outs from a university or college.

Theft: Metals

Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what recent assessment he has made of the effects on businesses of levels of metal theft.

Mark Prisk: The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills is working with the Home Office who are. leading the discussions with other Government Departments on the impact of metal theft on businesses and seeking to develop a range of potential solutions to this problem.

Trade Promotion: Environment Protection

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills whether he has had discussions with UK-registered businesses involved in the Global Green Growth Forum on growth in the low carbon sector.

Mark Prisk: The Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, the right hon. Member for Twickenham (Vince Cable), has had discussions with a large number of businesses, both UK-registered as well as those registered overseas, as a normal part of his departmental responsibilities. Many of those businesses are involved in low carbon sectors and may also be involved in the Global Green Growth Forum as well as other organisations.

Trade Unions: Public Expenditure

Alun Cairns: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how much has been paid to trade unions from the public purse in each of the last 10 financial years.

Edward Davey: I am unable to answer my hon. Friend's question in full because the cost incurred by BIS officials retrieving data from all the Whitehall Departments, as well as other public bodies, over such a long period of time would be disproportionate.
	However, I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given by the Under-Secretary of State, Business, Innovation and Skills, my noble Friend, Baroness Wilcox, to my noble Friend, Lord Ashcroft on 22 November 2010, Official Report, House of Lords, column WA288. The numbers, placed in the Libraries of the House, give a full breakdown of direct funding from the main central Government sources for the last four years from 2007/08 to 2011/12.

HEALTH

Alcoholic Drinks

Sarah Wollaston: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many meetings officials in his Department's alcohol policy team have had with representatives of the (a) drinks industry and (b) drinks marketing industry since the team was established.

Anne Milton: Officials in the alcohol policy team, which was established in October 2007, meet with drinks industry representatives on a regular basis in the course of their normal activities.
	Since May 2010, there have been approximately 104 such meetings with representatives of the drinks industry and one such meeting with marketing industry. This includes meetings with groups of people including non-industry representatives, such as the Responsibility Deal Alcohol Network.

Bone Marrow Register

Gordon Henderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will consider introducing a scheme to encourage university students to donate a blood sample for inclusion on the bone marrow register.

Anne Milton: NHS Blood and Transplant, which is funded by the Department to manage the British Bone Marrow Registry (BBMR) runs promotional campaigns, including attendance of university fresher fairs, to encourage students to register as blood donors. Once people are registered as blood donors, they can join the BBMR when attending a blood donation session if they meet any additional criteria.

Cardiovascular System: Health Services

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what recent assessment he has made of the uptake of cardiac rehabilitation services in England by patients with acute myocardial infarction; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what consideration he has given to increasing the collection and publication of data on acute myocardial infarction and cardiac rehabilitation services in England; and if he will make a statement.

Simon Burns: The Prime Minister, in his letter of 7 July 2011 to Cabinet Ministers on transparency and open data, committed to publishing key data on the national health service including clinical audit data detailing the performance of publicly funded clinical teams in treating key conditions. This includes clinical audit data from the Myocardial Ischaemia National Audit Project (MINAP), part of the National Clinical Audit and Patient Outcomes Programme, which is funded by the Department and managed by the Healthcare Quality Improvement Partnership on our behalf.
	MINAP collects data on the percentage of people referred for cardiac rehabilitation and this information will be published in future annual reports.
	In addition, there is data on uptake of cardiac rehabilitation in the latest National Audit of Cardiac Rehabilitation (NACR) annual report, which can be found on the NACR's website:
	www.cardiacrehabilitation.org.uk/nacr/docs/2010.pdf
	This includes information about the number of patients who have had cardiac rehabilitation following a myocardial infarction.

Care Homes: Expenditure

Richard Fuller: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what comparative assessment he has made of the annual cost to the Exchequer including housing, care, benefits and other costs of adults in (a) residential care, (b) supported living and (c) domiciliary care.

Paul Burstow: Data on local authority expenditure on publicly-funded social care services for adults are collected from councils with adult social services responsibilities (CASSRs) and published by the NHS Information Centre for health and social care. The Information Centre does not collect data for expenditure on “supported living” alone. “Supported living” is included in a wider category of “supported and other accommodation”. The most recently published data relate to 2009-10. Data for 2010-11 are expected to be published on 30 November 2011.
	The following table shows gross current expenditure on residential care, supported and other accommodation and domiciliary care by CASSRs in England, 2009-10.
	
		
			 Gross current expenditure  (1)   in 2009-10 Total (£000) 
			 Residential care(2) 7,266,200 
			 Supported and other accommodation(3) 555,900 
			 Domiciliary care 6,924,400 
			 Notes: (1) The total expenditure, minus income from joint arrangements, the national health service, other income sources (but not client contributions, which are not netted off) and capital charges. (2) Includes nursing care. (3) Includes hostels, adult placements schemes, group homes, un-staffed homes, partially staffed homes, sheltered housing costs not applicable to the Housing Revenue Account, extra care housing schemes and supported living and community support services. Source: Form PSS EX1, NHS Information Centre 
		
	
	Data on benefits and housing costs are not collected by the Information Centre.

Cataracts: Health Services

Frank Dobson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients have been refused cataract treatment since the changes to eligibility criteria.

Simon Burns: The Department does not set eligibility criteria for cataract surgery. Primary care trusts (PCTs) are responsible for commissioning services, taking into account the available evidence and the needs of the local population. PCTs are required to make decisions on the funding of drugs and treatments rationally, and following proper consideration of the evidence. If a PCT decides to prioritise funding for alternative drugs or treatments, it should be able to explain its decision and rationale. We have been clear that this should not lead to any blanket bans on procedures, and local processes should ensure eligibility criteria for procedures can take account of individuals' health care circumstances.

Childbirth

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many births per full-time equivalent NHS midwife there were in each region in 2010.

Anne Milton: The following table contains the birth to national health service midwife (full-time equivalent) ratios by strategic health authority.
	
		
			 Birth: Midwives (including bank staff) 
			 2010 Ratio 
			 North East 1:29.3 
			 North West 1:29.3 
			 Yorkshire and the Humber 1:31.7 
			 East Midlands 1:38.2 
			 West Midlands 1:32.0 
			 East of England 1:37.9 
			 London 1:32.7 
			 South East Coast 1:33.8 
			 South Central 1:39.3 
			 South West 1:30.7 
			 England 1:33.0

CJD

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking in respect of asymptomatic carriers of vCJD.

Anne Milton: Because of the scientific uncertainties about the incubation period of variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (vCJD) and the potential level of unidentified asymptomatic infection in the population the Department focuses on managing the potential risks of person to person transmission. Given the uncertainties, evidence based and cost effective steps are taken to reduce the potential secondary spread. The following actions are amongst those taken with respect of the risk of anyone potentially carrying the abnormal prion protein associated with human prion diseases such as vCJD.
	Since December 1997, blood components, plasma products or tissues obtained from any individual who later develops vCJD, have been withdrawn to prevent their use.
	Since October 1999, white blood cells have been reduced in all blood used for transfusion, a process known as leucodepletion or leucoreduction.
	Since April 2004 individuals who had themselves received a transfusion of blood components since January 1980 were excluded from donating blood, and since July 2004, this exclusion criterion was extended to include two new groups, who had received transfusions of blood components since 1980:
	Previously transfused platelet donors; and
	Donors who were unsure if they had previously had a blood transfusion.
	These criteria now apply to donors who have been transfused anywhere in the world.
	Since 1999, plasma for the manufacture of fractionated plasma products, such as the clotting factors for treating patients with bleeding disorders, has been obtained from non-United Kingdom sources; and synthetic (recombinant) clotting factors have been provided to those up to the age of 16 since 1998 and for all patients for whom it is suitable since 2005.
	Fresh frozen plasma for treating babies and young children born on or after 1 January 1996 has been obtained from the United States, and from July 2005 its use was extended to all children up to the age of 16.
	For over ten years the independent scientific Advisory Committee on Dangerous Pathogens (ACDP) Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathy Risk Management Sub-Group has also issued guidance on managing potential transmission risks. This includes guidance on quarantining surgical instruments, on endoscopy, on management of instruments and tissues from brain biopsy procedures, on assessments carried out before surgery and/or endoscopy, on risk in ophthalmology and on handling of tissues from patients. ACDP's guidance is available at:
	www.dh.gov.uk/ab/ACDP/TSEguidance/index.htm
	The GJD Incidents Panel has since 2000 provided specific advice and guidance to health services on how to manage incidents involving possible transmission of CJD between patients, including those who may be asymptomatic. The Panel also provides advice on the notification of individuals where it is calculated that they are at potentially higher risk of vCJD than the general population (usually an additional 1% risk). Public information on the Panel's activities can be found at:
	http://www.hpa.org.uk/web/HPAweb&Page&HPAwebAutoListName/Page/1204031511121
	The Department funds studies to help ascertain the presence of abnormal prion protein present in the United Kingdom population. These include a study of appendix and tonsil tissue published in 2004, the National Anonymous Tonsil Archive and an ongoing study of appendix tissue.
	The independent scientific ACDP Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathy Risk Assessment Sub-Group keeps the evidence of the asymptomatic presence of abnormal prion protein associated with human prion disease under review, the outputs are used by the groups tasked with advising on risk management, including the ACDP Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathy Risk Management Sub-Group, the OD Incidents Panel and the Advisory Committee on the Safety of Blood, Tissues and Organs.

CJD

Paul Beresford: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  at what levels suspected infectivity of vCJD would need to be reached for the Government to implement the recommendations of the Advisory Committee on the Safety of Blood, Tissues and Organs;
	(2)  what levels of suspected infectivity of vCJD would need to be indicated by research for the Government to implement the recommendations of the Advisory Committee on the Safety of Blood, Tissues and Organs;
	(3)  what discussions his Department has had with Imperial College on the issue of fresh frozen plasma; and with reference to the updated modelling evidence produced by Imperial College, how long he expects the Advisory Committee on the Safety of Blood, Tissues and Organs to take to review its recommendations.

Anne Milton: The Government will continue to consider advice and recommendations from independent scientific Advisory Committees, along with impact assessments of those recommendations, related to the scenarios used in assessing the potential risk of person to person transmission of variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (vCJD) and the implications of those scenarios. Current scenario modelling considers among other inputs the prevalence of infective individuals, the infectivity level of blood and susceptibility to clinical infection.
	Currently the Advisory Committee on Dangerous Pathogens (ACDP) and the Advisory Committee on the Safety of Blood, Tissues and Organs (SaBTO) are considering these issues, and the evidence from the Imperial College model is part of those considerations. It is expected that the committees will finalise their assessments in 2012.
	The latest ACDP papers are publicly available at:
	www.dh.gov.uk/ab/ACDP/TSEguidance/DH_125868
	and SaBTO papers at:
	www.dh.gov.uk/ab/SaBTO/index.htm

CJD: Disease Control

Paul Beresford: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many units of fresh frozen plasma were issued by NHS Blood and Transplant in the latest year for which figures are available.

Anne Milton: NHS Blood and Transplant issues fresh frozen plasma to hospitals in England and North Wales. In 2010-11, 255,488 units were issued for use in adults and children; and 7,289 units were issued for use in neonates. A neonatal unit is one quarter of the volume of an adult unit.

CJD: Disease Control

Paul Beresford: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what cost was incurred by NHS Blood and Transplant in collecting, testing, processing and issuing of (a) red blood cells, (b) platelets and (c) fresh frozen plasma in the latest year for which figures are available.

Anne Milton: The available information is shown in the following table.
	
		
			 Budgeted costs incurred by NHS Blood and Transplant in financial year 2010-11 
			  Red cells (£) Platelets Plasma  (1)   (£) 
			 Collection 88,892,439 16,901,323 — 
			 Processing 30,506,676 4,633,314 4,949,045 
			 Testing 24,168,171 5,344,366 — 
			 Order processing, issue and despatch 6,627,925 1,577,516 1,208,556 
			 Validation, discard and storage 4,268,090 1,123,021 1,281,639 
			 Total cost 154,463,301 29,579,540 7,439,240 
			 (1) There are no costs for collection or testing of plasma as plasma is a by product of the whole blood donation. The whole blood donation is tested before the plasma is separated out (most of which is then discarded). Note: NHS Blood and Transplant collects blood donations in England and North Wales. Source: NHS Blood and Transplant

Dementia: Drugs

Caroline Dinenage: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to reduce the use of anti-psychotic medication to treat people with dementia.

Paul Burstow: We want to see a two-thirds reduction in the level of prescribing of anti-psychotic drugs for people with dementia by November 2011 and we have commissioned an audit to measure this.
	The Dementia Action Alliance supported by the NHS Institute and the Department of Health launched a 'National Call to Action' on 9 June 2011, with the aim of ensuring that by 31 March 2012 all 180,000 people with dementia, who are receiving anti-psychotic drugs will have undergone a clinical review, to ensure that their care is compliant with current best practice and guidelines and that alternatives to their prescription have been considered.
	Reducing the use of anti-psychotic medication is a key element of the Dementia Commissioning Pack which is supported by a multi-disciplinary care pathway for the management of agitation in people with dementia and for the review of medication on people already receiving anti-psychotics.
	The Department provided funding of £1.9 million in December 2010 to enable all strategic health authorities (SHAs) to accelerate improvements in prescribing practice. Each SHA has committed undertaking audits of current practice on anti-psychotic prescribing for people with dementia that cover prescribing by acute and community hospital doctors, prescribing by psychiatrists, prescribing by general practitioners and prescribing in care homes. This work will report in the autumn.
	The Department has also contributed £100,000 to the Alzheimer's Society FITS (Focussed Intervention Training Scheme) programme. The overarching aim of the programme is to reduce the use of anti-psychotics in care homes. The FITS programme delivers a 10-day training course to nominated health professionals. These individuals disseminate the information as a trainer and act as a Dementia Champion in their care home.

Departmental Billing

Eilidh Whiteford: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of invoices from suppliers his Department paid within 10 days of receipt in July and August 2010.

Simon Burns: The data for July and August 2010 are 97.76%, and 97.96%, respectively. These percentages were published on the Department's website in accordance with Cabinet Office guidance.

Departmental Buildings

Eilidh Whiteford: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what (a) building and (b) refurbishment projects his Department plans in (i) the current and (ii) the next financial year; and what the cost of each such project will be.

Simon Burns: In the current financial year, it is planned to carry out refurbishment projects in Richmond House, costing £1,575,000, to increase its efficiency and underlying infrastructure. Similar projects costing £994,000 have already been completed.
	No plans have yet been formulated for the following financial year.

Departmental Consultants

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what procedures his Department uses when engaging external consultants.

Simon Burns: The Department's current procedures include several controls to ensure the consultancy requirement is essential and will provide best value for money. Appropriately approved procurement routes are used to engage consultancy services. Each consultancy requirement has a Statement of Operational Necessity and Business Case set out and approved within the Department. Further approvals are then obtained from senior officials and Ministers dependant upon the value of the proposed contract. All approvals procedures are in accordance with the Cabinet Office controls for consultancy expenditure within central Government.

Departmental Consultants

Frank Dobson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much his Department has spent on management consultants in each of the last five years.

Simon Burns: The figures for expenditure on external management consultants for the core Department of Health for the last five financial years are as follows:
	
		
			  £ million 
			 2006-07 205 
			 2007-08 132 
			 2008-09 102 
			 2009-10 108 
			 2010-11 9.8

Departmental Correspondence

Rachel Reeves: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average amount of time taken by his Department is to reply to letters from hon. Members (a) in total and (b) of each political party.

Simon Burns: The Department took an average of 13 working days to reply to correspondence received between 1 January and 31 August 2011 from hon. Members. The following table shows the average number of working days it took to respond to hon. Members within the same time-period, split by political party.
	
		
			 Party Working days 
			 Alliance Party 13 
			 Conservative Party 14 
			 Democratic Unionist Party 13 
			 Green Party 16 
			 Independent Members 11 
			 Labour Party 13 
			 Liberal Democrat Party 13 
			 Plaid Cymru 11 
			 Social Democratic and Labour Party 11 
			 Scottish National Party 10 
			 Speaker 14

Departmental Fines

Eilidh Whiteford: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many transport-related fines his Department has settled on behalf of its staff in each year since 2007; and at what cost.

Simon Burns: The Department and its predecessors have not settled any transport related fines on behalf of its staff in any year from 2007. This is in line with Departmental policy and the Civil Service Code, which states:
	“Departments and agencies must reimburse staff only for expenses which they actually and necessarily incur in the course of official business.”

Departmental Official Hospitality

Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much his Department spent on hospitality for events hosted by each Minister in his Department in each of the last 12 months.

Simon Burns: The information held on the Department's business management system is as shown in the following table. Due to the procedures employed by the Department which score expenditure on the system in the month in which an invoice is processed and paid, the figures do not necessarily relate to the costs incurred in the months in question. The figures show the total spend by Ministers' private offices on hospitality and catering and this will typically include purchases of teas, coffees, lunches and refreshments. The system does not have the facility to report on whether these purchases were for specific events or meetings.
	
		
			 £ 
			  2010 2011 
			 Minister Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug 
			 Secretary of State for Health (Andrew Lansley) 39.08 0.00 24.00 0.00 126.72 28.00 0.00 40.95 52.81 32.00 24.00 
			 Minister of State (Simon Burns) 4.62 19.32 0.00 99.10 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 
			 Minister of State (Paul Burstow) 4.85 0.00 204.95 8.08 0.00 11.56 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 
			 Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Anne Milton) 0.00 0.00 30.38 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 37.59 0.00 40.25 0.00 
			 Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Earl Howe) 0.00 0.00 41.88 0.00 53.96 45.41 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00

Departmental Procurement

Gordon Henderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the cost of employing civil servants to undertake procurement for his Department in (a) 2008-09, (b) 2009-10 and (c) 2010-11; and what estimate he has made of the cost of (i) employing civil servants and (ii) engaging consultants to undertake procurement for his Department in 2011-12.

Simon Burns: The cost of running the Procurement Directorate within the Department was £1,553,145 for financial year 2009-10, and £1,618,800 for financial year 2010-11. It is not possible to provide comparative figures for 2008-9 as the Department obtained a procurement service at the time from the NHS Purchasing and Supply Agency. The Procurement Directorate consists of a mix of civil servants and non-permanent workers.

Departmental Procurement

Julian Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress his Department has made in eliminating pre-qualification questionnaires for procurements with a value of under £100,000.

Simon Burns: The Department has formally adopted the Government's policy announced in February 2011 to eliminate the use of pre-qualification questionnaires (PQQ) for all central Government procurements under £100,000.
	A central tracking system has been in place on the Department's procurement database since August; a report shows that no procurement competitions have been undertaken since that month using a PQQ for procurements with a value of less than £100,000.

Departmental Procurement

Stewart Hosie: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what contracts of a monetary value of (a) between £100,000 and £500,000, (b) between £500,000 and £1 million, (c) between £1 million and £5 million, (d) between £5 million and £10 million, (e) between £10 million and £50 million, (f) between £50 million and £100 million, (g) between £100 million and £500 million, (h) between £500 million and £1 billion, (i) between £1 billion and £5 billion and (j) over £5 billion his Department has entered into with private suppliers in each year since 1990.

Simon Burns: The Department's central procurement database, which has provided the information in the following table, holds information at the level of purchase order (PO)—these are individual items of expenditure—rather than contract. The category of expenditure is for ‘suppliers’; the majority will certainly be external private suppliers but the figures do include some non-private expenditure (voluntary or public sector).
	The following table provides information about the number of POs awarded within the bands specified for the current financial year and the last two closed financial years. The Department's central procurement database was only established in July 2008; prior to this date such data were not collated centrally within the Department. To gather information for financial year 2008-09 and earlier years would require us to contact all directorates and branches within the Department to check their individual records; this could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
	
		
			 Band   (£) Number of purchase orders 
			 FY 2009-10  
			 100,000 to 500,000 154 
			 500,000 to 1,000,000 11 
			 1,000,000 to 5,000,000 11 
			 5,000,000 to 10,000,000 4 
			 50,000,000 to 100,000,000 1 
			 100,000,000 to 500,000,000 24 
			   
			 FY 2010-11  
			 100,000 to 500,000 59 
			 500,000 to 1,000,000 23 
			 1,000,000 to 5,000,000 12 
			 5,000,000 to 10,000,000 6 
			 10,000,000 to 50,000,000 7 
			   
			 FY 2011-12  
			 100,000 to 500,000 27 
			 500,000 to 1,000,000 5 
			 1,000,000 to 5,000,000 10 
			 5,000,000 to 10,000,000 2 
			 50,000,000 to 100,000,000 0

Departmental Public Expenditure

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much his Department spent on new furnishings in the last year.

Simon Burns: The cost of furniture and fittings purchased by the Department in the last year (October 2010 to September 2011) is £135,502.

Departmental Training

Eilidh Whiteford: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many external training courses staff of his Department attended in the last 12 months; and what the cost to the public purse was of each course.

Simon Burns: From August 2010 until July 2011, the last 12 month period for which we have figures, £411,629.64 was spent from the Department's central training budget. This figure includes the costs of external courses and those where the central Department brought in external training provision.
	Information is not held centrally about the cost of locally commissioned training, funded by directorates within the Department, nor is information held on how many external courses were attended by staff.

Diabetes: Children

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps his Department is taking to help prevent childhood diabetes.

Paul Burstow: The majority of children with diabetes have Type 1 diabetes, which is not currently preventable.
	Although it is much rarer in children than Type 1, there is a strong evidence base closely linking Type 2 diabetes with obesity and inactivity. The Government are helping to prevent Type 2 diabetes in children by tackling obesity and inactivity through schemes such as Change4Life, the National Child Measurement programme, and the Healthy Child programme.

Diabetes: Screening

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what plans he has to offer blood sugar checks alongside eye tests;
	(2)  what steps he is taking to improve early diagnosis rates for diabetes.

Paul Burstow: We are aware of the importance of diagnosing diabetes as early as possible in the course of the disease, if patients are to get optimal outcomes. The main strategy for securing this early diagnosis is through the roll out of the NHS Health Checks programme. There are no plans to offer blood sugar checks alongside eye tests.
	With around 15 million people eligible, the NHS Health Check programme is a major public health programme for people in England aged 40-74 aimed at preventing heart disease, stroke, diabetes and kidney disease. Everyone having an NHS Health Check will have their risk of developing these diseases assessed, and will be supported to reduce or manage that risk through appropriate lifestyle advice, support and management.
	Phased implementation of the programme by primary care trusts (PCTs) began in April 2009. The NHS Health Check programme is a supporting measure in the Operating Framework for the NHS in England 2011-12; and PCTs have been provided with funding in their baselines to support this activity.

Disease Control

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what targets his Department has set for the reduction of non-communicable diseases.

Anne Milton: We will set out in the Public Health Outcomes Framework the key priorities for improving the public's health and provide a means for local and national transparency and accountability.
	We consulted on a broad range of indicators as part of our proposals for a Public Health Outcomes Framework. Among a number of indicators, the consultation proposed a number relating to non-communicable diseases including the following:
	Mortality rate from all cardiovascular disease (including heart disease and stroke) persons less than 75 years of age;
	Mortality rate from cancer in persons less than 75 years of age;
	Mortality rate from chronic liver disease in persons under 75 years of age; and
	Mortality rate from chronic respiratory diseases in persons less than 75 years of age.
	These proposals received strong support from stakeholders, and following consultation and further development, we are considering whether to include these indicators within the final framework which we expect to publish in the autumn.

Donors: Health Education

Philip Hollobone: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information his Department holds on the number of schools that are using the NHS Blood and Transplants Give and Let Live blood and organ donation education pack (a) in the latest period for which figures are available and (b) in its first year of availability.

Anne Milton: NHS Blood and Transplant's (NHSBT) “Give and Let Live” pack, designed for 14 to 16 year olds, helps young people learn about the importance of organ, blood, tissue and bone marrow donation in life and after death. NHSBT has informed the Department that in 2007-08, when the Give and Let Live packs were launched, 1,776 schools ordered the pack, and research by NHSBT showed that 21%, of teachers used the pack in two to three lessons. In 2009-10, (the latest figures available), 5,568 schools ordered the pack and 51%, of teachers used the pack in two to three lessons. In 2009-10, 92%, of teachers who used the pack said they found it useful or very useful.

Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy: Research

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what funding his Department has provided for research into Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy in (a) 2010-11 and (b) 2011-12.

Simon Burns: The Department spent £0.4 million on directly-funded research into Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy in 2010-11. A figure for 2011-12 is not yet available.

Eating Disorders

Jo Swinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how many (a) children and (b) adults were admitted to hospital for eating disorders in each of the last five years;
	(2)  how many (a) boys and (b) girls aged (i) under 10, (ii) between 10 and 18 and (iii) over 18 years were admitted to hospital for eating disorders in each of the last five years;
	(3)  what estimate he has made of the cost to the NHS of the treatment of eating disorders in the last year for which figures are available.

Paul Burstow: Details of the number of finished admission episodes for which the primary diagnosis is an eating disorder are in the following tables.
	
		
			  0 to 18 years 18+ years Unknown age Total for the year 
			 2009-10 885 1,179 3 2,067 
			 2008-09 902 965 1 1,868 
			 2007-08 875 996 1 1,872 
			 2006-07 814 1,087 23 1,924 
			 2005-06 742 1,431 9 1,882 
		
	
	
		
			  Male Females  
			  0 to 9 years 10 to 18 years Over 18 years Unknown age Total males 0 to 9 years 10 to 18 years Over 18 years Unknown age Total females Total for the year 
			 2009-10 11 87 98 1 197 19 768 1,081 2 1,870 2,067 
			 2008-09 13 75 94 — 182 8 806 871 1 1,686 1,868 
			 2007-08 6 73 81 — 160 19 777 915 1 1,712 1,872 
			 2006-07 20 87 94 2 203 18 689 993 21 1,721 1,924 
			 2005-06 12 86 101 1 200 18 626 1,030 8 1,682 1,882 
			 Source: Hospital Episode Statistics (HES), The NHS Information Centre for health and social care 
		
	
	We have made no estimate of the cost of treating eating disorders.

Email

Jack Dromey: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether any (a) Ministers, (b) officials and (c) special advisers in his Department use private e-mail accounts for the conduct of government business.

Simon Burns: The Ministerial Code, the Code of Conduct for Special Advisers, and the Civil Service Code set out how Ministers, officials and special advisers should conduct Government business.

Food: Health Hazards

Diane Abbott: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to reduce trans fats in food.

Anne Milton: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave her on 6 September 2011, Official Report, column 568W.

Government Procurement Card

Charlie Elphicke: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the (a) date of purchase, (b) amounts, (c) supplier and (d) level 3 or enhanced transaction entry was of each transaction undertaken by the Department using the Government Procurement Card in (i) 2007-08, (ii) 2008-09 and (iii) 2009-10.

Simon Burns: The document containing the information requested has been placed in the Library. It also contains information for financial year 2010-11 and Level 3 transaction information, which is only available for financial year 2010-11.
	The information is not available prior to May 2008 because this is when the Department's reporting database tool used to extract the information was set up. Attempting to provide information prior to May 2008 would mean sifting through individual cardholder paper files and extracting the information manually, which would incur disproportionate costs.

Government Procurement Card

Chris Kelly: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many Government Procurement Card transactions were made by his Department's officials withdrawing cash from automated teller machines from 2006-07 to 2009-10; at what cost; and on which dates.

Simon Burns: The Department has arranged with Barclaycard (the card provider for this Department's Government Procurement Card transactions) that access to automated teller machines is blocked. So it is not possible for withdrawals to be made.

Health and Social Care Bill 2010-12

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what his policy is on providing that the right of appeal for patients who are dissatisfied with the NHS service they receive can be made to a locally accountable body following the implementation of the Health and Social Care Bill.

Simon Burns: The Local Authority Social Services and National Health Service (NHS) Complaints (England) Regulations 2009 allow for a complaint about NHS services to be made to either the commissioner or the provider of those NHS services.
	We envisage that the principles underlying these arrangements will continue following the implementation of the Health and Social Care Bill. A complaint would be made either to the provider of the service or to either the NHS Commissioning Board or Clinical Commissioning Group.
	If a complainant is not satisfied with the outcome of their complaint at this local level, they will continue to be able to take their complaint to the Health Service Ombudsman.

Health and Social Care Bill 2010-12

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make it his policy to ensure that the commissioning function remains a public function carried out by a public body following the implementation of the provisions of the Health and Social Care Bill.

Simon Burns: Yes. This policy is already reflected in the Health and Social Care Bill. The National Health Service Commissioning Board and clinical commissioning groups established in accordance with the provisions proposed by the Health and Social Care Bill would be statutory public bodies and, as such, would be responsible for the exercise of their statutory functions. As now, NHS commissioners could arrange for external organisations to provide support for commissioning, but statutory responsibility for commissioning decisions would continue to rest with the NHS Commissioning Board or the clinical commissioning group.

Health and Social Care Bill 2010-12

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he plans to take to ensure that Directors of Public Health retain autonomy following the implementation of the provisions of the Health and Social Care Bill.

Anne Milton: The Health and Social Care Bill gives local authorities clear duties for improving the health of their local populations. The Bill also says that they must employ a director of public health to deliver these public health functions. Directors of public health will undertake these functions in a professional; impartial and objective way within the corporate structure of their local authority. The Bill also requires directors of public health to write an annual report that can chart local progress; local authorities must publish this report.

Health and Social Care Bill 2010-12

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make it his policy to seek the removal of Clause 4 from the Health and Social Care Bill.

Simon Burns: The Government believe that clause 4 of the Bill achieves the right balance of autonomy and accountability, ensuring that the Secretary of State for Health, my right hon. Friend the Member for South Cambridgeshire (Mr Lansley), retains ultimate responsibility for the NHS while empowering those closest to patients to take clinical decisions.
	However, as the Minister of State, the hon. Member for Sutton and Cheam (Paul Burstow), made clear during Commons Report and the Under-Secretary of State for Health my noble Friend, Earl Howe, reiterated at Lords Second Reading, we are willing to listen to and consider the concerns that have been raised and make any necessary amendment to put it beyond doubt that the Secretary of State remains responsible and accountable for a comprehensive health service.

Health and Social Care Bill 2010-12

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the potential impact of implementation of the provisions of the Health and Social Care Bill on vulnerable households; and if he will make a statement.

Simon Burns: The Equality Analysis for the Health and Social Care Bill assesses the equality impact of the reforms set out in the Bill. In carrying out this analysis the Department considered the impact in relation to age; disability; gender reassignment; pregnancy and maternity; race and ethnicity; religion and belief; sex; sexual orientation and socio-economic status.
	The Equality Analysis can be found on the Department's website at:
	www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/Publications/PublicationsLegislation/DH_123583

Health Services

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what plans he has to involve allied health professionals and the health clinicians in strategic planning through joint strategic needs assessments and joint health and wellbeing strategies;
	(2)  whether he plans to place Health and Wellbeing Boards under a statutory duty to gain specialist advice from allied health professionals and other NHS clinicians.

Anne Milton: Beyond the minimum membership set out in the Health and Social Care Bill, local authorities and the Health and Wellbeing Boards will be able to invite other members with particular skills and expertise, including representatives of the allied health professions or other national health service clinicians.
	The membership of Health and Wellbeing Boards should be determined locally. Too much prescription would prevent local membership from being determined in a way that reflects local needs and priorities.
	It is important to be clear that the purpose of this policy is not just about setting up a committee, but about stimulating effective joint working for and with local people and communities.
	Membership is not the only way to get involved with the work of Health and Wellbeing Boards. We expect that Health and Wellbeing Boards will want to ensure they have wider mechanisms in place to draw on the expertise of other groups, including allied health professionals and other NHS clinicians, when developing their Joint strategic needs assessments and joint health and well-being strategies.

Health Services: EU Nationals

Peter Bone: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much money has been recovered from EU countries for citizens of those countries who received medical care from the NHS in the latest year for which figures are available.

Anne Milton: For the year 2010-11, the Department received payments totalling £51.7 million from European Economic Area countries for citizens of those countries who received medical care from the national health service.
	The £51.7 million quoted is under European Union Regulations and relates to healthcare provided to temporary visitors using a European Health Insurance Card; workers posted to the United Kingdom by their employer, patient referrals and state pensioners residing in the UK.

Health Services: Reciprocal Arrangements

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much was paid by the UK Government to EU member states under the European Health Insurance Card scheme in each of the last five years; how much is owed by the UK Government to EU member states under the scheme; and if he will make a statement.

Anne Milton: The following table provides available information of payments to member states. The amounts relate to combined claims for temporary visitors (via European Health Insurance Cards); workers temporarily posted abroad by their employer and referrals for treatment in other European economic area countries. Due to the nature of the claims system between member states, it is not currently possible to disaggregate the data consistently for all member states by either type of claim or type of treatment.
	
		
			  £ 
			 2007-08 93,200,000 
			 2008-09 113,200,000 
			 2009-10 117,900,000 
			 2010-11 62,400,000 
			 Notes: 1. £ equivalent totals based on exchange rates at the time of the payment. 2. Totals are rounded to the nearest £100,000. 3. Comparable data for years prior to 2007-08 are not available. 
		
	
	The amount owed by the United Kingdom for equivalent claims submitted up to and including the financial year 2010-11 is £65.5 million.

Heart Diseases: Children

Rachel Reeves: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what meetings he has had to discuss the Children's Congenital Cardiac Services Review; and how many of those meetings (a) included and (b) excluded discussion of Leeds General Infirmary's Heart Unit.

Simon Burns: The Secretary of State for Health, my right hon. Friend the Member for South Cambridgeshire (Mr Lansley), has kept abreast of the progress of the Children's Congenital Cardiac Services Review through submissions and meetings with officials. The Secretary of State for Health has met with Cystic Fibrosis Trust, and while it was discussed, the focus of his meeting was not on the Children's Congenital Cardiac Services Review. He also met with hon. Members from the Yorkshire and Humber region to discuss the terms of a backbench business committee debate rather than specific issues concerning the paediatric unit at the Leeds General Infirmary.

HIV Infection

William Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what metrics to assess the extent of late diagnosis of HIV by local authorities and primary care trusts will be contained in his Department's Public Health Outcomes Framework;
	(2)  what targets he plans to set for early diagnosis and treatment of HIV in his Department's Public Health Outcomes Framework.

Anne Milton: The Public Health Outcomes Framework will set out the key priorities for improving the public's health and provide a means for local and national transparency and accountability. It will be for local authorities with their partners to agree the level of improvement they will wish to make against public health indicators in line with the Outcomes Framework.
	We consulted on a broad range of indicators as part of our proposals for a Public Health Outcomes Framework. Among a number of indicators the consultation proposed an indicator on the “Proportion of persons presenting with HIV at a late stage of infection”. This proposal received strong support from stakeholders, and following consultation and further development, we are considering the inclusion of this indicator within the final framework which we expect to publish in the autumn.

HIV Infection

William Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  if he will assess the potential savings to other parts of the NHS budget which could arise from increasing early diagnosis of HIV in each of the next four financial years;
	(2)  what resources his Department plans to provide to primary care trusts to increase the early diagnosis of HIV in each of the next four financial years.

Anne Milton: The Department recognise the benefits of early HIV diagnosis which include preventing the onward transmission of HIV, improved treatment outcomes for patients and savings to the national health service. In March 2011, the National Institute of Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) published its public health guidance “Increasing the uptake of HIV testing in men who have sex with men” and “Increasing the uptake of HIV testing among black Africans in England”, the groups most affected by HIV in the United Kingdom. The NICE accompanying costing report included a local costing template to assess the local impact of implementing the NICE guidelines including the costs and saving to the NHS. Both the guidance and the costing report are available on the NICE website at:
	www.nice.org.uk/Search.do?keywords=HIV&tsearch submit=GO&searchSite=on&searchType=AII&newSearch=l
	In 2009-10, the Department funded eight pilot projects to assess different models for expanding HIV testing in non-specialist health care settings in primary and secondary care. In September 2011 the Health Protection Agency published a report of their review of all eight projects—“Time to test for HIV: Expanding HIV testing in healthcare and community services in England” a copy of which has been placed in the Library. The Department will consider the report's findings in developing the new sexual health policy document.
	Up to 2013, it is for primary care trusts to commission and fund interventions to increase the offer and uptake of HIV testing in a variety of health care settings, taking into account the local prevalence of HIV and other health care priorities. The Department is funding the charity the Medical Foundation for AIDS and Sexual Health to produce information resources to support primary care staff in offering an HIV test.

Hospitals: Admissions

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what consideration he has given to collecting and publishing data on emergency readmissions within 28 days of discharge from hospital according to diagnosis code as part of the data collection within the NHS Outcomes Framework.

Simon Burns: Data on emergency readmissions within 28 days of discharge from hospital is available from National Centre for Health Outcomes Development compendium, and can be accessed at:
	www.nchod.nhs.uk
	The compendium includes information on emergency readmissions for a small number of individual procedures.
	Since the publication of “The NHS Outcomes Framework 2011/12”, we have been working to refine the indicators in the framework as well as finalising the approaches to measuring and reporting of outcome measures.
	As part of this work, consideration has been given to refining the definition of the indicator 'emergency readmissions within 28 days of discharge from hospital' but it has not examined the feasibility of disaggregating the indicator by diagnosis code.

Hospitals: Construction

Iain Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will allow local authorities to use prudential borrowing to fund the building of new hospitals in cases where the (a) interest rate and (b) total cost to the public purse can be demonstrated to be lower than the use of a proposed private finance initiative scheme.

Simon Burns: Local authorities can contribute to the funding of national health service schemes which involve an element of delivering service for which they are responsible and accountable.
	Any such scheme is subject to a value for money test as part of the standard business case process, which includes a quantitative and qualitative assessment of the optimal procurement route, i.e. whether to use of public capital or the private finance initiative (PFI). The exact form of public capital funding is not assumed or determined as part of the value for money test as the cost of raising the required capital by the Government is the same for all public capital funding options. Different forms of funding, such as loans under Prudential Borrowing Limits or Public Dividend Capital, used by different Government Departments for differing purposes, will mean different cashflow implications for the public authority concerned, such as an NHS trust. However, this will not affect the overall economic cost to the taxpayer, which is the criteria used in such value for money tests.
	In the value for money test it is the balance between the additional cost of raising private finance under PFI against the value of risk transferred to the private sector and an adjustment to take account of differential taxation under each option which determines which offers best overall value for money for the taxpayer.

Injuries: Dogs

Angela Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average cost to the NHS in Yorkshire and the Humber was of treatment in hospitals due to injuries inflicted by dogs in (a) 2009-10 and (b) 2010-11.

Simon Burns: Information on the average cost to the national health service in Yorkshire and the Humber of treatment in hospitals due to injuries inflicted by dogs is not centrally held.
	The number of finished admission episodes with a cause code of 'bitten or struck by dog' for the Yorkshire and the Humber Strategic Health Authority (SHA) is held centrally. Data for 2009-10 and 2010-11 is shown in the following table:
	
		
			  Finished admission episodes 
			 2009-10 830 
			 2010-11(1) 892 
			 (1) The 2010-11 data is provisional and may be incomplete or contain errors for which no adjustments have yet been made. Counts produced from provisional data are likely to be lower than those generated for the same period in the final dataset. This shortfall will be most pronounced in the final month of the latest period, ie November from the (month 9) April to November extract. It is also probable that clinical data are not complete, which may in particular affect the last two months of any given period. There may also be errors due to coding inconsistencies that have not yet been investigated and corrected. Notes: 1. A finished admission episode (FAE) is the first period of inpatient care under one consultant within one healthcare provider. FAEs are counted against the year in which the admission episode finishes. Admissions do not represent the number of in-patients, as a person may have more than one admission within the year. 2. Data for A&E attendances is not available. 3. Cause code is a supplementary code that indicates the nature of any external cause of injury, poisoning or other adverse effects. Only the first external cause code which is coded within the episode is counted in HES. The cause code used was W54—'bitten or struck by dog'. 4. In July 2006, the NHS reorganised SHAs and primary care trusts (PCT) in England from 28 SHAs into 10, and from 303 PCTs into 152. As a result, data from 2006-07 onwards is not directly comparable with previous years. Data has been presented for those SHA/PCTs which have valid data for the breakdown presented here. As a result, some SHA/PCTs may be missing from the list provided. 5. HES figures are available from 1989-90 onwards. Changes to the figures over time need to be interpreted in the context of improvements in data quality and coverage (particularly in earlier years), improvements in coverage of independent sector activity (particularly from 2006-07) and changes in NHS practice. For example, apparent reductions in activity may be due to a number of procedures which may now be undertaken in outpatient settings and so no longer include in admitted patient HES data. 6. In-patients are patients who are admitted to hospital and occupy a bed, including both admissions where an overnight stay is planned and day cases. Source: Hospital Episode Statistics (HES), The NHS Information Centre for health and social care.

Maternity Services

Dan Rogerson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to ensure that maternity care is commissioned on a whole-pathway basis.

Anne Milton: In 2012-13, the Department is introducing tariffs to enable pathway commissioning for maternity care. Initially, this funding system will be on a shadow basis to test its impact and allow the development of commissioning contracts. The expectation is that full implementation will take place from 2013-14.

Midwives

Gloria De Piero: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many midwives there are in (a) Ashfield constituency, (b) Nottinghamshire and (c) England.

Anne Milton: The NHS Information Centre's annual census data is collected by strategic health authority (SHA) region, and not by constituency boundaries. The following table shows the number of midwives working in the NHS in the East Midlands SHA and England.
	
		
			 NHS hospital and community services: Midwives in England, the East Midlands Strategic Health Authority area and each specified organisation as at 30 September 2010 
			  Headcount 
			 England 26,825 
			 of which  
			 East Midlands Strategic Health Authority area 1,842 
			 of which  
			 Bassetlaw Primary Care Trust (PCT) — 
			 Nottingham City PCT 93 
			 Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust 293 
			 Nottinghamshire County Teaching PCT — 
			 Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust — 
			 Sherwood Forest Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust 133 
			 Note:  Figures shown are for staff associated with employers based in Nottinghamshire.  Data   q  uality: The NHS Information Centre for health and social care seeks to minimise inaccuracies and the effect of missing and invalid data but responsibility for data accuracy lies with the organisations providing the data. Methods are continually being updated to improve data quality where changes impact on figures already published. This is assessed but unless it is significant at national level figures are not changed. Impact at detailed or local level is footnoted in relevant analyses.  Source:  The NHS Information Centre for Health and Social Care Non-Medical Workforce Census.

Multiple Sclerosis: Medical Treatments

Catherine McKinnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether his Department plans to take steps to improve the UK's international ranking in relation to access to new treatments for multiple sclerosis; and if he will make a statement.

Simon Burns: A number of treatments for multiple sclerosis are available to national health service patients in England, supported by the multiple sclerosis risk sharing scheme and National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) guidance. NICE'S forthcoming review of its clinical guideline on multiple sclerosis will bring together up-to-date advice on the best treatments for patients, as part of the overall package of care.
	The use of multiple sclerosis treatments in the rest of the United Kingdom is a matter for the Scottish Government, the Welsh Government and the Northern Ireland Assembly.

Naloxone

Eric Ollerenshaw: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the name is of the manufacturer of naloxone used in the N-Alive trials in prisons.

Paul Burstow: The product Naloxone is a generic drug, therefore the supply could come from several companies, however the N-ALIVE research team are purchasing pre-filled syringes from Cardinal, who produce and sell them via their company Aurum Livery through Martindale Pharma.

NHS Foundation Trusts: Food

Grahame Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what his policy is on allowing all hospital trusts in England to decide what consumables they buy;
	(2)  whether he has assessed the possibility for greater efficiency savings in the procurement of consumables by NHS acute and foundation trusts in England;
	(3)  what consideration he has given to (a) intervening, (b) directing or (c) providing guidance to NHS acute and foundation trusts on reducing the cost of the procurement of consumables.

Simon Burns: All trusts are aiming to be independent of the Department's direct control by April 2014, i.e. becoming national health service foundation trusts. Accountability for effective procurement will sit primarily with their boards. The Department's strategy on procurement of goods and services (including consumables) is to develop trusts into better informed clients, able to make decisions based on improved and more transparent data and able to make better use of regional and national procurement organisations such as NHS Supply Chain.
	To this end, the Department has been working with organisations such as Monitor and the Foundation Trust Network as well and holding workshops to support the NHS in delivering £1.2 billion in savings on procurement of goods and services under the Quality, Innovation, Productivity and Prevention (QIPP) workstream. This applies exclusively to NHS providers—NHS trusts and NHS foundation trusts.
	These savings are to come in four main areas:
	reducing price variation (all providers to use best available prices): £598 million;
	efficiencies in back office organisation: £65 million;
	improved use and management of stock: £283 million; and
	clinical efficiencies (release of time for more direct clinical work): £142 million.
	To support this, the Department is currently working on the finalising of key performance indicators to be introduced by April 2012 which can successfully measure improvements made by trusts in the management of their non-pay spend. The new strategy based around the work strands of greater transparency on pricing; promoting and improving the national collaborative bodies such as NHS Supply Chain; and product standardisation and rationalisation, as mentioned above are currently being consulted on within the NHS will be formally launched by April 2012.

NHS: Billing

Nick Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many complaints his Department received concerning delays in the payment of bills by the NHS from each strategic health authority area in each month of (a) 2010 and (b) 2011.

Simon Burns: The Department has received seven letters in 2010 and six letters in 2011 in relation to concerns with delays in the payment of bills.
	A search of the Department's correspondence database identified the following items of correspondence. This is a minimum figure which represents correspondence received by the Department's central correspondence team only. The following table shows this figure split by month received and strategic health authority cluster area.
	
		
			  Strategic health authority cluster area Number of cases 
			 2010   
			 February Not specified in correspondence 1 
			 March Midlands and East 1 
			 June North of England 1 
			 July North of England 1 
			 September Not specified in correspondence 1 
			 October London 1 
			 November North of England 1 
			    
			 2011   
			 February London 1 
			 June London 2 
			 July London 1 
			 August Not specified in correspondence 1 
			 September Not specified in correspondence 1 
		
	
	As set out in the Better Payment Practice Code for national health service trusts, primary care trusts and strategic health authorities, the Government recognise the importance of paying suppliers promptly and in line with contractual requirements, and this will continue to be the case under our proposals for modernising the NHS.

NHS: Drugs

Daniel Poulter: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what (a) societal, (b) carer and (c) other components will be considered in his Department's assessment of value under value-based pricing; and if he will make a statement.

Simon Burns: A response to the Government's consultation for a new value based system of pricing branded medicines was published on 18 July. That document explained that the Government's objective is to use society's valuation of treatments and their impacts to inform the development of the value based pricing (VBP) model. In respect of wider societal benefits this entails considering the full range of potential impacts of treatments beyond their health effects, determining which of these ought to be included in VBP and developing a transparent mechanism for reflecting their value as accurately as possible. As we take forward our work in this area, we intend to collaborate with external experts and stakeholders, to ensure that the VBP system is clear, robust and transparent, and that industry, patients, clinicians and all others who have an interest can understand how valuations are made in the new system.

NHS: Drugs

Daniel Poulter: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions (a) he and (b) his officials have had on the creation of a legacy scheme for the Pharmaceutical Price Regulation scheme from 1 January 2014.

Simon Burns: A response to the Government's consultation for a new value based system of pricing branded medicines was published on 18 July. In that document, we set out our intention that value based pricing will apply to new active substances placed on the market from 1 January 2014. However, the vast majority of branded medicines already on the market before 2014 will be considered by the successor arrangements to the current Pharmaceutical Price Regulation scheme. The Department is taking forward this work.

NHS: Expenditure

Frank Dobson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much the NHS has spent on (a) pharmaceutical products, (b) IT equipment, (c) IT services, (d) hospital equipment and (e) management consultants in each of the last five years.

Simon Burns: The information is shown in the following table.
	
		
			 £000 
			  2009-10 2008-09 2007-08 2006-07 2005-06 
			 Pharmaceutical products(1) 10,033,033 9,870,769 9,809,508 9,815,035 9,710,696 
			 IT Equipment(2) 219,415 204,016 261,115 253,230 205,327 
			 IT Services(3) 186,760 190,066 207,703 194,276 203,080 
			 Hospital Equipment(4) 1,864,925 1,934,726 2,061,014 2,016,868 2,024,840 
			 Consultancy(5) 456,759 421,481 310,107 n/a n/a 
			 (1) Includes primary care prescribing (primary care trusts (PCTs)) and drugs used in secondary care (PCTs and national health service trusts). Source: NHS audited summarisation schedules (prescribing costs) and NHS financial returns (drugs) (2) Capital expenditure (purchased additions to non-current assets) under the "IT' heading (PCTs, strategic health authorities (SHAs) and NHS trusts). The figures do not include revenue expenditure on IT equipment, which is not separately identifiable from the financial data held. Source: NHS audited summarisation schedules (3) Revenue expenditure on maintenance and data processing contracts (PCTs, SHAs and NHS trusts). Source: NHS financial returns (4) Revenue expenditure on the purchase and maintenance of medical, surgical, x-ray and laboratory equipment. The figures do not include capital expenditure on hospital equipment, which is not separately identifiable from the financial data held. Source: NHS financial returns (5) Consultancy services (PCTs, SHAs and NHS trusts). Data for consultancy services expenditure was collected for the first time in 2007-08. Source: NHS audited summarisation schedules 
		
	
	The Department does not collect data from NHS foundation trusts. Where an NHS trust obtains foundation trust status part way through any year, the data provided are only for the part of the year the organisation operated as an NHS trust.

NHS: Private Sector

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Health in what areas of NHS provision he expects private sector businesses to operate under his proposals for NHS reform.

Simon Burns: We expect national health service services to be commissioned from the provider (or providers) best able to meet patients' needs and deliver value for taxpayers' money whether from the public, private or voluntary sector.
	A plural system of provision already exists in the NHS, for example within primary care and mental health services. For services where there is competition between providers this must be fair, transparent and non-discriminatory. However, it will remain the responsibility of commissioners to take decisions, in the context of the mandate from the Secretary of State for Health, the right hon. Member for South Cambridgeshire (Mr Lansley), on where services should be competed as a means to improving those services for patients.

NHS: Procurement

Robert Buckland: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what plans he has to introduce a system within the proposed new NHS structure to ensure that procurement practices achieve value for money;
	(2)  what assessment he has made of the extent to which NHS procurement practices enable the making of efficiency savings.

Simon Burns: The Department has in place clear plans through the Quality, Innovation, Productivity and Prevention (QIPP) workstream to support the national health service in making £1.2 billion in savings on procurement of goods and services over the next three years. This applies exclusively to NHS providers—NHS trusts and NHS foundation trusts.
	These savings are to come in four main areas:
	reducing price variation (all providers to use best available prices)—£598 million;
	efficiencies in back office organisation—£65 million;
	improved use and management of stock —283 million; and
	clinical efficiencies (release of time for more direct clinical work)—£142 million.
	To support this, the Department is currently working on the finalising of key performance indicators to be introduced by April 2012 which can successfully measure improvements made by trusts in the management of their non-pay spend. The Department has also developed a new procurement strategy based around three key work strands of greater transparency on pricing; promoting and improving the national collaborative bodies such as NHS Supply Chain; and product standardisation and rationalisation. Following completion of consultations on these measures within the NHS, this new procurement strategy will be formally launched by April 2012.
	In terms of procuring clinical services for NHS patients, the Health and Social Care Bill would provide for the Secretary of State to impose regulations on commissioners for the purpose of ensuring that they adhere to good procurement practice when commissioning health services for the purposes of the NHS.

NHS: Procurement

Robert Buckland: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions (a) he and (b) officials of his Department have had with NHS trusts on the sharing of best practice in respect of the adoption of money-saving technologies.

Simon Burns: The Department actively pursues opportunities to support the national health service to share best practice in general and in particular on the adoption of money-saving technologies including:
	collating a national register of local Quality Innovation, Productivity and Prevent digital (QIPP) initiatives for the direct purpose of bringing local teams together and sharing collateral;
	providing guidance to local teams in using existing frameworks for money-saving technologies (such as online meeting services that provide direct cash-releasing savings); and
	supporting other QIPP national workstreams such as QIPP Long-Term Conditions in bringing their local teams together in exploiting money-saving technologies.
	In addition, officials within QIPP and the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence have been in discussions with NHS trusts to identify case studies of best practice in how the NHS is improving quality and productivity while making efficiency savings across the NHS and social care—many of which utilise innovative technology.
	These cases studies are available online at:
	www.evidence.nhs.uk/qipp

NHS: Procurement

Grahame Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the number of jobs in UK-based small and medium-sized enterprises that are dependent on NHS procurement or the NHS supply chain.

Simon Burns: This information is not held centrally.
	The Department is committed to encouraging the national health service to comply with the transparency requirements that apply to all Government bodies as set out in Cabinet Office guidance. This includes measures such as promoting the use of standardised forms such as pre-purchase questionnaires held on a centralised database, so suppliers can submit information once only; and encouraging NHS Supply Chain, Buying Solutions and other NHS procurement partners to simplify access for small and medium sized enterprises to their contracting activities.

NHS: Repairs and Maintenance

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate his Department has made of future liabilities for NHS Trusts as a result of maintenance backlogs.

Simon Burns: The Department collects data on the backlog maintenance of national health service organisations annually. This represents the capital investment required to bring their estate up to an appropriate condition. The total backlog maintenance reported in 2009-10 was £4,096 million. All backlog maintenance collected from the NHS is published at:
	www.hefs.ic.nhs.uk
	Management of the NHS estate, including decisions on the capital investment made to reduce backlog maintenance, is undertaken locally by NHS organisations. These decisions will reflect the quality of the existing estate, the organisation's future plans for it and the resources they have available.

NICE: Cost Effectiveness

Daniel Poulter: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions (a) he and (b) his officials have had with the University of York on assessment of NICE cost-effectiveness thresholds.

Simon Burns: The work being led by the University of York is independent research, commissioned in 2008 by the National Institute for Health Research and the Medical Research Council.
	Departmental officials have participated as observers at a workshop in which preliminary findings were discussed with a range of stakeholders. Departmental officials are not involved in directing or influencing the work of the academics leading the study.

Obesity

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to reduce levels of childhood obesity;

Diane Abbott: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to publish a Government strategy for obesity.

Anne Milton: The Government have recently published “Healthy Lives, Healthy People: A call to action on obesity in England”. This sets out how obesity among adults and children will be tackled in the new public health and national health service systems, and the role of key partners. I refer the hon. Members to the written ministerial statement on the call to action issued on 13 October 2011, Official Report, columns 43-44WS.
	A copy of the document has already been placed in the Library.

Obesity

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to tackle childhood obesity.

Anne Milton: The Government have recently published “Healthy Lives, Healthy People: A call to action on obesity in England”. This sets out how obesity will be tackled in the new public health and NHS systems, and the role of key partners. I refer the right hon. Member to the written ministerial statement on Call to Action issued on 13 October 2011, Official Report, columns 43-44WS.
	A copy of the document has already been placed in the Library.

Organs: Donors

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps his Department is taking to improve levels of organ donation.

Anne Milton: An independent Organ Donation Taskforce (ODTF) published its first report “Organs for Transplants” in January 2008 and made 14 recommendations to increase donor rates and make organ donation a usual part of end of life care. Implementation of the ODTF recommendations has seen donor rates rise by around 28%, since 2008. Work continues at a local, regional and national levels to further strengthen the donation infrastructure to reach the 50%, increase in donors by 2013 anticipated by the ODTF. This includes an increase in the number of highly trained Specialist Nurses for Organ Donation, the appointment of Clinical Leads for Organ Donation, and the establishment of Organ Donation Committees driving improvement locally.
	Work also continues to encourage more people to add their name to the Organ Donor Register (ODR). Much of this work is led by NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) in liaison with a number of partners in the private, public and third sectors. Examples include asking people to sign up to the ODR when they register with a new general practitioner (GP), when applying for a new passport or European Health Insurance Card (EHIC), and when applying for a Boots advantage card. The prompted choice scheme, working in partnership with the Department for Transport and the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency, requires people applying for a driving licence online to make a choice about organ donation. NHSBT publicise the need for more people to register as donors through their public awareness campaigns, via the organ donation website and their national helpline. This includes the annual National Transplant week, this year held between 4 and 10 July.

Pancreatic Cancer

Lindsay Roy: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he plans to take to increase pancreatic cancer survival rates.

Paul Burstow: “Improving Outcomes: A Strategy for Cancer”, published on 12 January, sets out a range of measures to improve cancer survival rates in England. The Strategy sets out an ambition to save an additional 5,000 lives every year by 2014-15 through earlier diagnosis of cancer and improved access to screening and radiotherapy.
	To support earlier diagnosis of cancer, the Government have committed over £450 million over the next four years. This money will be used to raise awareness of the signs and symptoms of cancer; fund increased general practitioner access to diagnostic tests; and pay for more testing and treatment in secondary care.
	The Strategy also sets out our commitment to work with a number of rarer cancer-focused charities to assess what more can be done to encourage appropriate referrals to secondary care for earlier diagnosis. Departmental officials have already met with a number of these charities, including a pancreatic cancer charity, with the aim of identifying some of the barriers to early diagnosis and to discuss potential solutions. This will inform our future work in this area.
	Finally, “Improving Outcomes in Upper Gastro-intestinal Cancers”, published by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) in 2001, makes recommendations on the treatment, management and care of patients with upper gastro-intestinal cancers, including pancreatic cancer. The Cancer Outcomes Strategy makes it clear that the improving outcomes in cancer NICE guidance will continue to be a feature of all commissioned cancer services.

Patients

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps the Government plans to take to ensure that the interests of the patient remain the primary priority for doctors.

Simon Burns: The proposed reforms to national health service commissioning arrangements do not in any way alter the existing duties of general practitioners (GPs) as clinicians to provide high quality primary medical care to meet the needs of patients, as required by their contracts and the terms of their registration as doctors. Under the proposed arrangements for clinical commissioning, GPs will also have an enhanced role in protecting the interests of patients, through their membership of clinical commissioning groups that plan and secure the majority of NHS services. This will ensure that commissioning decisions are made by those with the best understanding of local patients' needs.

Pharmacy: Regulation

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will assess the efficacy of the regulatory regime that applies to pharmacy wholesalers; and whether he has any plans to alter that regulatory regime.

Simon Burns: Registered pharmacies are currently exempt under the 1968 Medicines Act from the need to hold a Wholesale Dealer's licence to wholesale deal licensed medicines. Such dealing should be limited to an inconsiderable part of their pharmacy business. Recent experience of the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) in investigating cases in which counterfeits have entered the legitimate supply chain suggests that there is a need to strengthen the rules governing trade in medicines not carried out by Wholesale Dealers to limit potential for infiltration of the supply chain by counterfeit medicines. The MHRA has undertaken two public consultations on proposals to address this issue as it relates to pharmacies, and is still considering what measures to introduce.

Speech and Language Disorders: Research

Sharon Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what longitudinal studies on speech, language and communication his Department undertook in each of the last five years.

Simon Burns: The Department has not directly funded any longitudinal studies on speech, language and communication during the last five years. The National Institute for Health Research Clinical Research Network is currently providing research infrastructure support for a longitudinal study of dyslexia and specific language impairment led by the university of York.

Stem Cells

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the potential contribution of stem cell treatments to human health.

Anne Milton: The Department keeps developments and advances in stem cell science under constant review in order to assess the potential for improved healthcare treatments.
	In 2010, NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) carried out a review of current national health service stem cell transplant services for the treatment of Leukaemia and other blood disorders. The review's report, “The Future of Unrelated Donor Stem Cell Transplantation in the UK” was published in December 2010 a copy has already been placed in the Library. The report made 20 recommendations to improve stem cell treatment services and £4,000,000 in additional funding has been provided by the Department this financial year to begin implementation.
	In July 2011, a joint report with the Department of Business, Innovation and Skills: “Taking Stock of Regenerative Medicine in the United Kingdom”, was published. The report considered the increasingly vital role of regenerative medicine in delivering the next generation of healthcare. As with the report above, a copy has already been placed in the Library.

Suffolk Primary Care Trust: Continuing Care

Daniel Poulter: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much has been spent on NHS Continuing Care by Suffolk Primary Care Trust since 2001.

Paul Burstow: Suffolk Primary Care Trust {PCT) spent £5.326 million on continuing health care in 2009-10. The source of these data is the 2009-10 audited summarisation schedules of Suffolk PCT. 2009-10 was the first year in which these data were collected. A figure for 2010-11 is currently unavailable as the audit of the NHS (England) Summarised Account is ongoing.

Third Sector

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many letters he has received on funding for civil society organisations within his Department's area of responsibility in each month since 1 June 2010; and if he will make a statement.

Simon Burns: A search of the Department's correspondence database has identified 90 items of correspondence received since 1 June 2010 about funding for charitable or voluntary sector organisations. This is a minimum figure that represents correspondence received by the Department's Central Correspondence Team only. The following table shows this figure split by month received.
	
		
			 Items of correspondence received by the Department's Central Correspondence Team concerning funding for charitable or voluntary sector organisations 
			 Month received Number of cases 
			 2010  
			 June 5 
			 July 7 
		
	
	
		
			 August 2 
			 September 5 
			 October 4 
			 November 3 
			 December 7 
			   
			 2011  
			 January 3 
			 February 11 
			 March 13 
			 April 9 
			 May 4 
			 June 7 
			 July 4 
			 August 3 
			 September 2 
			 October 1 
			 Note: The 'number of cases' for October 2011 is a month-to-date figure, up to 13 October 2011. Source: Central Correspondence Team, Department of Health.

Tranquillisers: Misuse

Eric Ollerenshaw: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he plans to take following his Department's recent round table meeting on involuntary tranquilliser addiction.

Anne Milton: I convened a roundtable meeting of stakeholders on 15 September to discuss the future actions to tackle addiction to medicines. This included consideration of the specific actions required to:
	1. Support GPs to respond to the issues of addiction to medicine.
	2. Improve access to treatment and support.
	3. Improve the commissioning of services to local need.
	4. Increase public and professional awareness of addiction to medicines.
	The Department will be publishing the list of agreed actions in due course and reconvening the stakeholders group to review progress in four to six months time.

Tuberculosis: Disease Control

David Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what systems are being put in place to address drug-resistant tuberculosis in (a) England and (b) London.

Anne Milton: The key to addressing drug-resistant tuberculosis (TB) is successful completion of treatment. The Department has supported the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence in development of national clinical guidance for treatment and control of TB.
	In London, national health service commissioners are currently reviewing the configuration of TB services to ensure they operate in the most clinically and cost-effective way. Local arrangements are in place to ensure that people with drug resistant TB are treated by clinical teams with specialist expertise and the current review will determine whether these arrangements need to be strengthened. A common approach to the use of directly observed therapy has already been agreed, which should reduce the number of drug resistant cases in the future.

Tuberculosis: Disease Control

David Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Health who will be responsible for commissioning (a) immunisation, (b) screening, (c) treatment and (d) other tuberculosis services and programmes across London in (i) 2012-13 and (ii) 2013-14.

Anne Milton: In 2012-13, it is proposed that primary care trust clusters will be responsible for commissioning immunisation, screening, treatment and other tuberculosis (TB) services and programmes across London. The details of this arrangement are still being developed.
	The details of commissioning arrangements for all TB services in London for beyond 2013 are still being developed.

X-rays

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will bring forward proposals to ensure that all hospitals adopt common standards of performing and recording laboratory and x-ray investigations.

Simon Burns: The provision of diagnostic services is a regulated activity for which the Care Quality Commission (CQC) sets essential and common registration requirements to ensure basic standards of safety and quality. The Department has also supported a range of measures intended to reduce variation in the way investigations are undertaken and recorded, working with relevant professional organisations such as the Royal College of Pathologists, Royal College of Radiologists and the Society of Radiographers to identify and implement opportunities for improving standards of professional practice in addition to the codes of practice already in use.
	For pathology laboratory investigations, the Department is working with Connecting for Health and the Royal College of Pathologists to develop the first National Laboratory Medicine Catalogue (NLMC). This will enable a standardised form of requesting and reporting pathology results intended to improve patient safety and outcomes by ensuring that all pathology tests use the same terminology and units of measurement. Through minimising local variations in pathology test requesting and reporting, the NLMC will also improve general practitioner and trust ability to commission and provide services across regional boundaries. This will increase options for patient choice.
	In addition, the Department has asked NHS Improvement to work with pathology laboratories across England to support the introduction of LEAN methodologies into laboratory practice. These will further assist standardisations in professional practice.
	For x-ray investigations in radiology, also known as 'medical exposures', the standardisation of the way tests are undertaken is effected by legislation. The Ionising Radiation (Medical Exposure) Regulations 2000 as amended 2006 and 2011 (IR(ME)R) are intended to protect individuals undergoing medical exposures against the dangers associated with the use of ionising radiation and define a number of obligations. The key requirements of IR(ME)R are that all such procedures are carry a net benefit to the individual (i.e. justified); a radiation dose as low as reasonably practicable is used (optimised); and that all personnel directly involved with the medical exposure are adequately trained for the tasks they carry out.
	In addition the Royal College of Radiologists, in collaboration with the Society and College of Radiographers, have introduced an Imaging Service Accreditation Scheme. The Department supports and encourages organisations to be accredited against this scheme.
	When recording x-ray investigations, standardisation is encouraged through use of technology. The main computer systems used in collecting patient information are Radiology Information Systems and for storing images, the Picture Archiving Communication Systems. These are procured to common specifications developed by the Connecting for Health programme.

Mental Health: Higher Education

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what consideration he has given to amending the legislative provisions of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 and the Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Act 2001 in respect of mental health policy in higher education institutions.

David Willetts: I have been asked to reply.
	Universities have duties under the Equality Act 2010 (which incorporated the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) 1995) to support disabled staff and students in higher education, including those with mental health conditions.
	The law establishes a framework of responsibility which higher educations must comply with and also promotes an anticipatory and proactive approach to supporting disabled students, including those suffering from mental illness. This may mean that there will be different approaches taken by different universities on this issue, as they seek to offer provision that anticipates the needs of their students and staff based on the unique circumstances of the institution. Individual institutions will use the law as a baseline standard to establish their own tailored policies, procedures and approaches. The Government have no plans to amend the provisions in the Equality Act relating to higher education institutions' duties towards disabled students.
	There is guidance available to universities on supporting students and staff with mental health conditions from a range of sector and medical bodies, including the Heads of University Counselling Services, the Association of Managers of Student Services in Higher Education (AMOSSHE), the Royal College of Psychiatrists, the former Disability Rights Commission and most recently from the UniversitiesUK/Guild HE Working Group for the Promotion of Mental Well-Being in Higher Education.
	Students can use an institution's internal complaints process to raise any concerns about discrimination and pursue their complaint with the Office of the Independent Adjudicator (OIA) if they have exhausted the internal processes and remain dissatisfied with the outcome. Universities are subject to the courts in the application of these duties. Any student who feels they have been discriminated can seek legal advice about their situation, and the advice of the Equality and Human Rights Commission which provides guidance on discrimination matters and has a statutory enforcement role (established in the 2006 Equality Act).